The Path I've Chosen
by animeroxsmyworld
Summary: "A fallen summoner, a man from Zanarkand…and a warrior monk doomed to obscurity for refusing the hand of the priest's daughter. What delightful irony it would be if we defeated Sin!" The untold tale of Braska, Jecht and Auron.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFX**

**Authoress Note: So some of the scenes are from the spheres you find throughout the game, so it might seem like the scene is really familiar, but I add in a lot of my own scenes too because the spheres don't show their whole journey. **

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><p><strong>The Path I've Chosen<strong>

**By: Animeroxsmyworld**

**Chapter 1**

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><p>Jecht didn't know how it happened, not really. He had been drinking at the time, but then again when wasn't he nowadays. He had very fuzzy bits and pieces of what happened, but it didn't make any sense. Even adding together what he could try and understand, it didn't make any sense.<p>

Like if 2 + 2 = 9.

The last thing Jecht did remember was drinking on the ship with his blitzball team, the ever famous Zanarkand Abes, while they headed to the tournament that was supposed to be held overseas. Luca was it? He didn't care. The water had turned rough with the declining health of the weather, but when did water scare a blitzball player? They stayed on the deck drinking and gambling the time away as they let the crew try and steer the ship on the right path. As weather started to take a bigger turn for the worse, the crew started yelling, the wind howling like a wounded animal and the water began sloshing up onto the deck of the boat as it lunged from side to side.

It was then Jecht started to suspect something was wrong.

Then things turn hazy.

The next thing he can remember is practically drowning in the water as the ship tears itself in two, a mammoth of a monster, the biggest thing Jecht had ever seen, destroying everything around it as its armor like body sifts through the water with deadly grace. Its multiple eyes look at him as he flounders in the water to avoid the debris of the ship and the tumbling bodies that are crashing into the sea bed around him.

And then…

It's black.

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><p>Braska stared up at the statue before him, his body bent in prayer as he studied the face chiseled into the stone. A face full of determination, bravery, and hope…all the makings of a great high summoner. "You are much braver than I." He muttered as he bowed his head once more, eyes closing in reverence. He had fallen away from his pilgrimage, a fallen summoner as some would say.<p>

A coward.

No that wasn't true. He had married and fathered a child.

And yet…

"You are Braska?"

Braska straightened at the slightly wheezy voice, eyes taking in the bent old man at his side, robed in the garment's of the priesthood. Obviously the head priest of the temple here in Bevelle.

Braska gave a short nod. "Yes. Thank you for seeing me Father Maghee."

The old man's eyes ran over him with a calculating look, his brow furrowing ever so slightly as his lips puckered. "You're a summoner, here for the fayth?" He jerked his head towards the door just a few feet behind him that would lead to the cloister of trials, and thus, to the fayth.

Braska paused for a brief second at the bald man's tone before nodding none the less. Ever since leaving his pilgrimage, the aeons left him and he would now have to restart his journey, praying to each fayth at each temple once more.

He prayed that they would find him worthy once again.

"I've never seen a summoner without any guardians before." Father Maghee speculated. Braska's face broke out into an innocent smile.

"I'm sure I'll be able to find some once I set out onto my journey." He reassured. He had a friend among the warrior monks in the temple that he was hoping he might be able to talk into coming along with him if he was successful with the aeon once again.

That is, if his friend was up for the risk his pilgrimage posed.

Father Maghee looked suspicious for two more seconds before his face broke into a smile, laugh lines crinkling his face in various areas. "Well then, let me show you to the trials."

Braska followed after the stooped man, his hearing pricking up as they passed two whispering acolytes lighting the candles near the many high summoner statues, apparently oblivious to how close by Braska was to them.

"Did you hear?"

"No. Hear what?"

The older acolyte leant her head close to the younger girl's ear, her voice more hushed though Braska still caught her words. "A man claiming to be from Zanarkand was arrested last night!"

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><p>When Braska came looking for Auron, a close childhood acquaintance of his from long ago, he looked severely distracted though he still managed to get his message across. He was in search of a guardian now that he was to go back on the path of the pilgrimage. He knew of Auron's skill with the blade and he had hoped the warrior would join him.<p>

Though he would understand completely if he declined.

Auron had hesitated for a few minutes, others in the room watching him with baited breath, before agreeing to the great task offered before him. Braska had smiled though something in his eyes told the monk that the summoner had other things on his mind, and Braska left with the parting words that they would leave in three days.

With meeting for departure in just an hour, Auron felt his nerves begin to stir inside of him, his palms beginning to sweat as he met with his friend Kinoc, once his equal among the warriors.

"You'll do fine, just relax." Kinoc advised as he watched the younger male pace in front of him, fingers twitching with nervous energy. Yet Auron only seemed to be stirring himself into a bigger mess of nerves and Kinoc sighed, reaching into a small pouch and pulling out a canteen. "Drink this. Just relax."

Auron looked at him dubiously for a moment before hesitantly taking the offered drinking and sipping its contents. He pulled a face at the bitter alcohol that slid down his throat, but said nothing before taking another swig.

Silence reigned over them for several moments before Auron spoke, his words quite but firm.

"Thanks for everything Kinoc."

Kinoc just snorted, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I know I don't need to tell you this, but guard Lord Braska well." The older man advised, also an old acquaintance of the summoner. Auron's eyes rose to his, a hard look there.

"That I will." Auron agreed with a firm nod. "And you'll be busy too. I heard they made you second in command."

At that the older man sighed, shoulders drooping. "You know that that promotion was meant for you." He confessed, leaning back against the wall behind him. "You were always the better one, even until the end."

At this, Auron's lip twitched. "You make it sound as if I'm going off to die or something. I will see you again."

"Yes." Kinoc agreed. There was silence once more before Auron straightened and handed Kinoc's canteen back.

"Well then…"

Kinoc pushed away from the wall, straightening as well. "Going already?" Auron nodded. "You will tell me about Zanarkand when you return won't you?" It was always such an intriguing place and no one ever really knew much about it. Those who came back from its confines seemed to stay quiet about the place, as if its memory was a horrible scar that ought not be remembered.

Auron just nodded as he took the older man's hand in a rough, parting shake. "Farewell."

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><p>Jecht cracked open an eye at the approaching footsteps, the rather soft footfalls instead of the loud clunky ones he had grown accustomed to already told him it was a stranger. A man draped head to toe in a purple and red robe filled his rather bleary vision, dark eyes staring at him in interest. At least that's what it appeared to be, Jecht wasn't ever that good with reading people.<p>

Just behind him stood a slightly shorter male clad in red, wearing armor chest plating with dark hair scraped back in a low ponytail. Jecht just barely glanced at the disapproving look the man bore on his face before his full attention swung back to the robed man.

Together they made an odd, rather clashing pair.

"Who are you?" Jecht snapped out gruffly, his brow furrowing as he tried to focus. Since becoming imprisoned in this strange place, he no longer had any booze so Jecht was for once in a very long time, that he could remember, completely sober.

It was a very odd experience.

And he did not like it.

The robed man bent his head ever so slightly to the side, as if considering the shirtless blitzball star lying on the stone floor before him, looking both at ease and completely uncomfortable at the same time. "You are the one they call Jecht, the man from Zanarkand, are you not?" He asked, sounding almost careful about his words.

Jecht's eyes narrowed as he sat himself upright, propping himself on his elbows. "What of it?" He bit out harshly. Over the past few days he had heard a lot of people snide or laugh, even threaten him whenever he said he came from Zanarkand. He could almost imagine the kind of things this guy was saying in his head, judging by what Jecht had heard over the past few days.

"Watch your tongue knave!" Ponytail boy snapped back quickly, stepping forward and eyes flashing. Jecht's muscles tensed instinctively as he readied himself to propel upright to his feet, seeming to forget that there was a wall of iron bars separating the two from each other.

However the robed man placed a hand lightly on ponytail boy's shoulder and stepped in front of him slightly before any kind of fight could break out, if there was a chance of that even happening with one man behind bars and all. "I apologize." He interjected calmly. "I am Braska, a summoner. I've come to take you from this place."

That made Jecht pause as he openly stared at the two. Freedom? They were going to free him? He spoke after several seconds.

"Sounds sweet…what's the catch?" He asked skeptically as he got to his feet, leaning himself against the bars of the cell to try and get a better look at these two, apparently good doing people, now that he was now fully awake. From what he had heard, one of the priests of Yevon thought he should be put to death for saying he was from Zanarkand. Why were these people wanting to release him? Shouldn't they be wanting to try and put him to death too?

Braska laughed good naturedly, his cheeks dimpling. "Hahaha that easy to see was it?" He asked, brown eyes twinkling. "I soon leave on a pilgrimage…" Braska paused. "To Zanarkand."

"Seriosuly?"

He nodded. "I would like you to join us. It will be a dangerous trip. Yet if we do reach Zanarkand…my prayers will be answered and you will be able to go home… we think. What say you?" He questioned, a brow rising in wait. Behind him Jecht watched as the ponytail boy made a look of disgruntlement, but said nothing.

So if he went, not only would he have a chance to go home, but he would be annoying the ponytail bastard?

Jecht smirked before stretching out his arms. "Great! Let's go!"

Braska blinked in surprise. "So quick?" He hadn't expected a response so quickly.

"Anything to get outta here!" Jecht exclaimed as he wrapped his hands around the iron bars and shook, to emphasis his imprisonment. Surely no prisoner was stupid enough to give up the opportunity for freedom, even if it was slightly dampened with the chance of danger.

And so what? Danger might just be the thrill that Jecht needed.

Braska smiled, his hands disappearing into the sleeves of his robe. "Then it's settled."

"But I must protest!" Ponytail protested quickly, no longer being able to hold in his displeasure that had been so clear on his face for Jecht to see. "This drunkard, a guardian?"

"Hey!" Jecht snapped. "You want to step in here and say that?" He hadn't appreciated the drunkard comment and he was in excellent form from blitzball. He didn't doubt that he could handle himself in a fight if things were ever to go that way. Hell he had broken plenty of noses and arms during some of his more vicious games.

Oh he wanted that bastard to try and make his way in here so that Jecht could lay one on him. Maybe in the face, yeah, that'd be good. Maybe break _his _nose!

Ponytail only glared at him while Braska decided to intervene.

"What does it matter? No one truly believes that I, a fallen summoner wed to an Al Bhed could possibly defeat Sin. This is what they say. No one expects us to succeed."

"Braska, sir…"

"Let's show them they're wrong. A fallen summoner, a man from Zanarkand…and a warrior monk doomed to obscurity for refusing the hand of the priest's daughter. What delightful irony it would be if we defeated Sin!" Braska confessed, a light glinting his eyes and an excited, yet determined tone filling his voice.

"Stop gabbin' and get me outta here!" Jecht interrupted as he gave his confines a rough shake. He would admit that yes, whatever Braska was talking about did intrigue him, but he didn't understand a word he was saying and at the moment, the most pressing thing on his mind was getting out of this damn cell.

He needed to make them good on their promise before they decided to change their mind and leave him in here. And if ponytail boy had his way, that was probably what they would do.

But thankfully it seemed Braska called the shots.

"My apologies. Auron, get the guard to let our companion out." Braska instructed, finally identifying the warrior monk for Jecht as ponytail frowned before nodding and strutting back towards the armor clad guard standing a couple feet away, at the entrance of the cells. The guard cast a look at Jecht before looking back at Auron, the monk whispering something to him before the guard began to walk over, unintelligible words being muttered under his breath.

Jecht drew himself to his full height and stared the man down as he undid the cell door and let Jecht walk out, grabbing his hands a little more roughly then intended, and undoing the binds that were there.

"Ahh! Free at last!" Jecht exclaimed as the guard stepped away, the blitzball player rubbing his wrists in relief.

"Now Jecht…I'm in your hands until we reach Zanarkand." Braska reminded as he strolled up alongside the unruly looking man. Jecht just waved his hand in the air at the summoner's comment.

"Right right." Jecht scoffed before he frowned, turning to face the two men he would soon be travelling with. "So what's a summer-ner anyways?"

Braska blinked while Auron looked at him with surprise before his brow furrowed. He turned to Braska quickly, muscles tense. "See what kind of idiot you have entrusted yourself with?" He snapped harshly.

"Hey!"

"Auron…" Braska sighed, the beginnings of a warning.

"He doesn't even know what a summoner is! I bet he doesn't even know about Sin! Or aeons!" The ex-monk continued, Braska's words not quite reaching his ears.

Jecht was already storming over, eyes bright with anger. "I know enough to kick your ass." He hissed. Auron rose to meet his gaze, jaw squaring when a staff suddenly set itself between the two, making them jump. Braska's face was set in a scowl, his grip on the staff firm and he looked ready to intervene the moment the two made any sign of movement.

"That is enough." He ordered. "From here on out you two are my guardians. This is going to be a long trip and you two will have to get along." He continued, his voice surprising Jecht with how deep it had become. He could've easily commanded a platoon of soldiers with that tone.

The look of anger slowly bled out of Auron's face before he turned to look at the robed summoner. "I apologize for my behavior."

Jecht snorted as he took a step back. "Whatever, sorry."

Braska's staff stayed in the air for a second before it lowered, the stern look on the man's face disappearing. "I'm glad that is dealt with. Let us go."

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><p>Jecht had never been so relieved to smell fresh air before. The moment he stepped outside he stopped, closed his eyes, and inhaled, his lungs filling with the clean oxygen flowing all throughout Bevelle. It made him ache to play a game of blitzball. He wondered how far away Bevelle was from Luca.<p>

His musings were shattered when Auron called back to him, barely veiled annoyance in his voice. "Keep up knave!"

His eyes opened with a glare already shooting towards Auron's back. Braska shot them both a disapproving looks as he paused and waited for Jecht to catch up. One day, when Braska wasn't around, Jecht was going to really let Auron have it. He strolled forward, Braska waiting ever patiently before he continued talking.

"As I was saying," Braska started as they began walking once again. "An aeon is located in each temple at every village. Summoners must set out to each temple and pray to the fayth who reside there, and if the summoner is worthy enough, the fayth will bestow the aeon upon them."

"And these aeons will help you defeat this Sin thing?" Jecht asked as he tried to piece together all of what Braska had explained to him about the monster Sin and the destruction and death that it brought.

"No. Sin can only be defeated with the final aeon, the final summoning." Braska clarified as he shook his head. "To achieve the final aeon, one must head to Zanarkand."

Jecht's eyebrows rose as he remembered Zanarkand, the bustling city where he grew up. He didn't believe that there had ever been a temple there. At least to his knowledge. Then again, he had spent most of his life being totally enraptured by the blitzball stadium that he wouldn't be surprised if there was one squished in between two skyscrapers somewhere.

As the trio continued walking down the long, rather linear roads that spread out from the main streets of Bevelle, a man stepped out towards them, an overly large backpack strapped to his back and a small cap on his head. The pack looked like it would throw him off balance at any moment.

He smiled knowingly at them. "Ah I'd recognize travelers anywhere. You three are heading out aren't you?" He asked as he stepped towards them. He apparently didn't require an answer as he continued talking reminding Jecht of the pushy salespeople who used to crowd the main shopping sector of Zanarkand. "My names O'Aka. I have everything you could possibly need for long trips." He said as he began pulling things out his pockets, unzipping his bag and laying his merchandise at their feet.

"I believe we'll be alright." Auron said as he waved the man off, a hint of finality in his voice. O'Aka wilted slightly before he turned chipper once more and turned his gaze to the other two, ever hopeful.

Jecht had never felt so confused. He didn't know what half of O'Aka's things even were, his face turning into one of complete disinterest to hide the itch he had to stare openly at each thing laid out before him. The only things that were familiar to him were the weapons and…

"Is this a recording sphere?" Jecht asked as he picked up the small blue sphere from the ground, the object as light as a ping pong ball in his hands.

O'Aka beamed. "Good pick there. Not even used I reckon. Got myself a fistful of 'em when I was passing through Macalania."

As Braska gained O'Aka's attention Jecht swiftly slid the sphere into his pocket. He had no money to pay for the thing and he was going to be damned if he would let any of these two pay for him. Well Braska more than Auron, Auron would probably kill himself before buy anything for him.

"I'll take this sword over here." Braska said as he picked up a red and grey blade, the summoner swinging it once in his hand.

"Excellent choice! Excellent indeed!" O'Aka grinned as he handed the sword over to the summoner in exchange for the small bagful of gil Braska passed him. The exchange done the merchant began packing up with incredible speed.

"My lord, what're you—" Auron started in confusion but Braska merely turned and offered the sword to Jecht. Jecht shared Auron's look of confusion as he stared at Braska's hand, the handle of the weapon gleaming invitingly at him.

Silence fell over them before Jecht seemed to realize what had happened and he snorted, walking hurriedly past the robed man.

"Keep your money. I don't need it."

"I'm afraid you do." Braska started, continuing before Jecht could open his mouth. "You see this pilgrimage is going to be quite dangerous and if I'm going to trust you to protect me I'm going to need you to be able to protect yourself. Your fists aren't going to be as strong as a weapon as you think."

Jecht looked skeptical for a second but Braska looked unmoving in his resolve so Jecht crumbled just a little. "Feh, whatever." He decided as he reached out and plucked the sword from Braska's grasp, the metal cool against his skin.

As they continued down the road Jecht waited several minutes before they were a safe distance, before he pulled the sphere from his pocket. Like a child with a new toy, he played with it, recording useless things that happened to catch his interest. Braska watched with mild amusement.

Auron watched with pure annoyance.

Auron glared at Jecht as he turned and strolled along backwards, sphere held in his hand towards Braska and the once warrior monk, effectively recording them for a later time. Jecht smirked as the glare he was receiving was reflected back in the sphere.

"What are you taking?" Auron bit out.

"Well you said it was gonna be a long trip." Jecht explained with a simple shrug, though his smirk was still in place on his lips. He really got under this Auron guy's skin didn't he? "We'll be seeing a lot of neat things right? So I figured I'd record it all in this. To show my wife and kid."

Auron stopped and a muscle in his jaw twitched out of anger. "This is no pleasure cruise!" He snapped, arm swinging in emphasis of his anger.

Jecht only snorted in amusement at the warrior's displeasure. He wondered who cared more about this pilgrimage thing. Braska or Auron? Auron definitely let it affect him more.

He pointedly ignored Auron which caused the ponytail warrior's face to flush in anger, his nostril's flaring as the sphere turned solely on Braska, the summoner a calm beacon among the two as he walked peacefully. "Hey Braska, ain't this supposed to be a grand occasion?" Jecht asked, Braska glancing at him as he continued walking.

The summoner gave a small nod though said nothing.

"Where're the cheering fans? The crying women?" Jecht cried out, jerking his head at the long road they walked that was completely devoid of any other kind of life. If this was how Bevelle celebrated their grand occasions it was no wonder the blitzball stadium was in Luca. Luca probably gave their people a proper celebration.

Now if this was Zanarkand, well then, there would be a sight! There would be a proper celebration!

Braska only shook his head a small smile on his lips.

"This is it. Too many goodbyes-people think twice about leaving." He confessed, his words quiet. An image of Tidus and his wife flashed to the front of his mind, unbidden, and Jecht frowned as it disappeared a second later, just long enough for his heart to sympathize…for a second.

Then he scoffed.

"Hmm if you say so. Well it better be a lot more colorful when we come back." He demanded ignoring the quick look the two shared. "A parade for Braska, vanquisher of Sin!" He cried fake excitement as he pretended to throw his free hand into the air.

Auron glared with such intensity Jecht could almost feel it burning into his flesh.

Braska let out a laugh but it sounded hallow, his smile looking just a little forced. "Hahaha we should go. Day will break soon."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFX**

**Authoress Note: So I did some research and found that Yuna's mother died while trying to go back to Bikanel after Yuna was born, and after her death Braska went on his pilgrimage with Jecht and Auron. **

**Though they never give the name of Yuna's mother. Or Tidus' either now that I think of it. If anyone knows what they are can they please tell me?**

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><p><strong>The Path I've Chosen<strong>

**By: Animeroxsmyworld**

**Chapter 2**

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><p>Braska had planned to slip out of Bevelle without saying a single good-bye to anyone he knew. He didn't want to be tempted off the path once more, especially with sentimental good-byes. Safely out of Bevelle's confines and looking out at the open road before them, only dotted with travelers and the odd building, Braska let out a small breath of relief. Auron walked beside him in silence, the warrior easily keeping stride with him though Jecht had fallen a bit behind once more. This time Auron seemed to pointedly ignore the shirtless man, though Jecht was indeed following them dutifully, though a bit distractedly.<p>

Braska let his mind wander as he let his feet take charge and guide him. It was quite an easy thing to do. The only thing that brought him in and out of his thoughts were Jecht's gruff words muttered to himself as he observed passing people, or interesting things. The summoner paused to look back at the blitzer when he suddenly cried out in joy.

"Is that a blitzball!"

The traveler that Jecht was pointing to blinked before looking down at the rather beat up blue and white ball tucked by his side as the traveler lounged by the side of the road, talking with a companion. Jecht eagerly rushed over to spare the two a few words as he took the ball and threw it up into the air a few times, stories of blitzball games passing between their lips.

Braska shook his head lightly in amusement while Auron spared a glare at the lagging companion.

Braska's gaze turned forward once again, and he froze.

"Lord Braska?" Auron questioned in confusion as he stopped as well, noticing the man's change.

Just a little farther down the road stood a tall willowy woman, black wavy hair scraped up in a loose bun and bright blue eyes looking down at the young girl by her side, the woman dressed as on of the acolytes from the temple of Bevelle. The girl looked no older than 7-years-old, brunette hair spilling down to her shoulders, a simple blue and white dress adorning her tiny body.

Blue eyes glanced up and spotted him and then the woman bent down and nudged the child gently. A finger pointed his way and a blue and green eye looked at him and he could feel his heart begin to thump loudly against his ribcage.

He had done so well. He had gotten out of Bevelle without seeing anyone. He thought he was safe. He thought there would be no temptation.

But…

Little feet padded towards him and Braska felt himself already moving towards her without the thought even processing in his mind.

"Yuna…"

"Hello father." She greeted softly, smile adorning her face as he bent down on her haunches to see her. Despite himself, his lips twitched up in a smile. She always spoke so proper, even for a child.

"What are you doing here? You should be in the temple." He replied though there was no hint of scolding in his voice. How could he dare scold her if this might ever be the last time he would see her?

His chest hurt.

It hurt just looking at her.

She looked so very much like her mother.

It was the woman, the acolyte Sarla, who answered as she had been walking forward as they spoke. "She wanted to see you off. She knew you were leaving today." Sarla explained before she gave a bow towards Braska. "Lord Braska." She greeted.

He only nodded absently at her before turning back to his daughter.

A few minutes later, Jecht strode over.

"What's goin' on?" Jecht asked as he came up beside Auron, brow furrowed in confusion and arms folded over his chest, the two standing just a little ways away from the father and daughter who were conversing in soft tones. "Is that his wife n' kid?"

He expected Auron to give him some kind of irritated remark but the warrior only shook his head as he watched the two converse.

"She is his daughter yes, but the woman isn't his wife. Lord Braska wed an Al Bhed woman. But after his daughter's birth, his wife tried to travel back to Bikanel and her ship was attacked by Sin." Auron explained. "Now Lord Braska journey's to fight Sin."

Jecht let this information sink in before he frowned. "For revenge?" He asked.

Auron only shrugged. "Does it matter?"

Their conversation, if it could be called such, was cut short when Yuna's gaze fixated on them, eyes large with innocent curiosity, before Yuna was brought to them after she gave a quick whisper to her father. She clutched a fold of Braska's red robe as the two walked over, Braska giving an apologetic smile towards the two guardians.

"She wishes to meet you two." He explained. Jecht snorted as he brought himself down on his haunches to meet her eyes. She took a step back shyly before she puffed out her chest and stood her ground, not one to be intimidated.

"So what's you name girlie?" Jecht asked brashly as he stared at her small face. She looked no bigger than Tidus, maybe a little younger.

She lifted her chin just slightly before she spoke. "Yuna." Jecht nodded before Yuna seemed to gather up her courage to continue speaking now that she had started. "What's _your _name?" She repeated making Jecht smirk.

"I am the great Jecht, the one and only!" He boasted, bumping a fist against his chest. Yuna just stared at him before a tiny smile lit her face.

Auron grumbled something inaudible as he rolled his eyes at the older man's antics. Yuna's eyes turned to him next and he could practically see the same question in her eyes so he decided to speak before she could ask. "I'm Auron."

"Are you guardians?"

"Yes. We're going to be travelling with your father." Auron answered, earning a small hmm from the child. Braska excused himself from the group for a second to go talk to Sarla who had respectfully stayed a bit away from the group so as not to eavesdrop on anything she should not.

"Do you like being guardians?"

Auron frowned while Jecht only shrugged. "So far so good." Jecht supplied. In all fairness that was true seeing how they really had yet to leave the home village of their summoner. So far they had done little so their reputations as guardians were intact. Auron hoped it stayed that way by the end of the journey.

Yuna opened her mouth again and Auron couldn't help thinking that she had a lot of questions.

"What's that symbol mean?"

Blinking the two followed her finger to the black y-like symbol that took up the whole of Jecht's chest. Jecht look surprised as he tapped the symbol himself.

"You don't recognize the symbol of the Zanarkand Abes?" He asked astonished.

This time it was Auron who answered. "The what?" He had never heard such a name before.

"The Zanarkand Abes man! Only the best blitzball team there is!" He exclaimed, emotion now filling his voice. Yuna only shook her head while Auron severely doubted that such a team even existed.

"Do you play for the Zanarkand Abes?" Was the polite question that followed and Auron tuned himself out, removing himself from the conversation. He never much cared for blitzball that much. He instead went walking over to Braska who was in conversation with Sarla, Yuna's caretaker at the temple. With Braska now about to embark on his pilgrimage, Yuna was entrusted to the temple.

Behind him he could hear Jecht talking away to Yuna about his apparent blitzball team and some sort of shot he had made, something called the 'Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark 3'.

Auron snorted before he reached Braska, Sarla nodding before the conversation diminished, the two turning to look at him.

"We really shouldn't be dallying my lord." Auron advised. Braska nodded solemnly.

"We will take our leave then." Sarla said as she gave a small bow to the two. Auron was about to nod when something collided with the back of his head making him stumble, laughter erupting in the air behind him. The worn blitzball that Jecht had been admiring before rolled where it hit the ground by his feet and Auron turned, glare set on his face.

Jecht's laughter was fading into snickering while Yuna was giggling behind her hands, trying hard to hide her laughter from Auron's displeased look.

Braska took this moment to intervene before Auron's anger could break. "Yuna, come here please." He called out, the brunette child nodding, still grinning as she rushed over while Auron picked up the blitzball and stalked towards Jecht, chucking the ball as he neared and smoking the other in the head. Threatening hissed words were passed between the two as Braska crouched down to greet Yuna.

He bid good-bye to his daughter for the last time, Yuna's face dropping as she lunged forward into a hug, head nestling against his neck. He hugged her tightly, fingers wound tight and breath shaky.

That was the last time he ever saw her.

* * *

><p>As they got further from Bevelle, the wide open plains that had greeted them began to get dotted with trees before soon, a forest greeted them. Jecht openly stared as they entered the foliage of the forest, the trees and even some of the underbrush looking like it was made of crystals as soft lights illuminated the air.<p>

It looked like some kind of fantasy land that Jecht had seen in children's books.

"Where is this place?" Jecht asked unabashed, no longer lagging behind now that they were the only ones on the road, which was turning into large tree roots that would become their winding path.

"This is the Macalania woods." Braska explained as he ducked over a rather low branch, the leaves looking to be frosted with diamonds. "The woods cover both paths to Macalania whether you enter from Bevelle or from the Thunder Plains. Just beyond the woods, a little to the east is the temple."

Jecht snapped his fingers as his memory came back to him. "Ah! You're gonna try and get one of those aeon thingies there!"

Auron groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Even if the blitzball player was an intelligent fellow by some belief, his words belied any signs of it. How could he know so little about the aeons, the fayth, and the temples? What rock had he been living under all these years?

He was clearly a very delusional man.

"Yes, I will be going to the temple for an aeon." Braska clarified in agreement, Jecht giving a nod with a smile at the fact that he had indeed got it right despite Auron shooting him a 'you're-so-stupid' look. A rustle nearby grabbed their attention and all three men stiffened. Jecht just looked in confusion after a second when he noticed Auron's hand gripped tightly around his katana, Braska's staff raised ever so slightly before Braska spoke once again.

"I believe we should quicken our pace if we would like to pass through here unscathed." He instructed, his voice the same chilling commanding tone it had been back in Jecht's cell when he had first been released. "I would rather not be this thick in the woods heart when darkness falls."

"Yes sir." Auron agreed gravely as he unsheathed his katana and let it hang loosely, yet threateningly from his hand as they continued their pace. Jecht just blinked before slowly pulling his own blade out from where he had tucked it in his belt, the weapon heavy in his hands as he followed after them.

* * *

><p>Besides scraps in blitzball games and the rare drunken brawls, Jecht had never really been in a real fight before. He had never killed another, whether it was human or animal, and had never had to fight for his life. He was never faced with the option, kill or be killed. He had never experienced that raw rush of adrenaline before, nothing he had ever done before in his life could have ever compared to this.<p>

_This _was fighting.

They had made good time in the woods but it was still another day's walk before they would make it out of the woods and another day after that before they would reach the temple. Satisfied that they were now out of the heart of the woods for now, the three set up camp, Jecht designated with collecting firewood while Auron went to go retrieve food. Braska would watch over the camp and what little stuff they had.

And that's when Jecht met his very first fiend. A Chimera.

At first he just stared at it, taking in the different animal heads and colors that made up its body before he was jolted to action when the thing charged at him. He grunted in surprise as he swung his sword up in what he hoped was the right stance as he fumbled backwards a step. As the fiend swiped, he scuttled to the side and felt a swell of pride as the claws met his blade. It didn't last long though as one head roared back and fire burst from its hand in a ball of flames and struck his stomach, Jecht flying backwards as pain seared across his body.

He gasped for breath as he felt the flames begin to simmer against his flesh, smoldering in an unbearable pain that he felt he was unable to tear himself away from. Only when the ground shook at the creatures approach was he able to roll himself onto his hands and knees to avoid the destructive claws that struck out at the ground beside him.

Hoping for the best Jecht turned and struck out with his blade, a cry leaving his lips as he did so. He was relieved as the creature drew back with a squeal, a slash marring its furry chest as blood splattered across Jecht's face and dotted the ground. Jecht watched it stumble as he clutched at his own chest in agony.

Yet it stumbled a few feet before shaking its head and huffing as it stared at him.

"What the fuck…? " Jecht whispered in disbelief.

It took a step towards him before it burst into flames, a horrible sound leaving all of its lips as it charred in the blaze.

Braska stepped out of the foliage not too far from Jecht with his staff held at the ready and his eyes fixed on the howling fiend. It took Jecht a second to realize that it was Braska who had set the creature ablaze. For the very first time since meeting him, Jecht felt an inkling of fear for the robed summoner as Braska watched the creature shriek with a look of indifference.

The flames extinguished with a whoosh of air and the fiend was curled on the ground, as black as coal but whimpering and twitching on the forest floor.

"It's still alive?" Jecht exclaimed in awe.

"Leave it to you to find one of the more powerful fiends in Macalania on his first try." Auron's cold voice replied as Auron came into his vision, the warrior's katana gleaming in the early light of the night as Auron walked with purpose towards the now pitiful creature and in a swift motion, decapitated all three of the main heads.

The whimpering and twitching immediately froze before a sight that Jecht had never seen before greeted his eyes. The creature broke down into a series of lights that seemed to sigh as they shimmed and rose, dancing and dispersing into the sky.

Jecht watched the lights disappear with a mix of fascination and confusion.

"We should head back to camp." Braska advised as he made his way over to Jecht, the shirtless brunette still crouched on the ground. "The light from the flames will have drawn more fiends to our location."

Jecht grunted as he was pulled to his feet, pained breaths leaving him as his chest protested greatly to the movement. A clicking sound rumbled through the air and Braska's eyes closed as he muttered something Jecht was sure was unpleasant.

Ice blue wasps, huge in size when compared to normal wasps one might see in town, flitted in from the trees, two in total. Auron wasted no time in jumping up to meet the one on the left head on, his katana slicing through its wing as it tried to swerve out of the way, only for the creature to go careening into the ground from the lack of balance. Auron landed, swung his katana in his hand once before bringing it with a crunch into the creature's skull, its body instantly breaking apart into lights.

The other seemed to explode before their eyes; its guts coating the foliage around it as thunder rumbled for a breath of a second before lightning lanced the sky and caught the fiend, Braska's staff pointing at the wasp from where it had just finished spinning.

No one dared to breathe as they stood, waiting.

After a minute it was apparent nothing was coming at them at the moment and they helped Jecht back to camp. Auron got to work building the fire, collecting some quick firewood seeing how Jecht's task had gone uncompleted, while Braska set Jecht against the trunk of a nearby tree. Jecht flinched when he saw the summoner point his staff at his chest, his fingers twitching involuntarily.

Just exactly how dangerous was Braska?

How powerful was he?

Yet a kind healing incantation left his lips and Jecht's skin began to cool before it began to itch with the feeling of it trying to stretch over the wound, a sizzling sound emitting from his chest as the heat began to evaporate into the cool air around them. Jecht inhaled deeply when it no longer pained him to do so, Braska nodding, apparently satisfied with his work.

"I'm afraid you might have a bit of a scar still once it's all finished healing." Braska explained in apology as he backed away and seated himself around the fire that was sputtering to life from Auron's practiced hands.

"Ah whatever, my wife'll dig it. Chicks dig scars." Jecht remarked with a smirk, a short chuckle following his words. Auron rolled his eyes but said nothing as he began skinning the wildlife he had caught.

He focused on the task at hand, losing himself in the minuscule task before him as he peeled away the skin and began to stick the meat on some skewers fashioned from some rather sharp sticks he had found nearby. Add in a handful of berries and their appetites would hold for the night.

Only when Auron looked up to place the meat over the fire did he realize that the other two members of the group were lost in thought, both staring at nothing as their eyes glazed with unspoken words.

He watched them for a second before shrugging and placing the meal over the fire.

At least it was quiet. He rather enjoyed the quiet actually. He watched the meat cook, turning the individual pieces every now and then to prevent burning as he listened for any more approaching fiends. If there were any, they were keeping their distance for now. All he could here was the soft wind chiming among the trees and a small bird.

It was actually nice.

And then Jecht ruined it.

"So what were those things?" He asked, eyes still staring at nothing though his fingers began to tap against the ground.

"What things?" Braska asked, blinking and coming around himself. Jecht made vague hand gestures at that, sitting up a little straighter as he did so.

"The weird monsters we just fought! They turned into lights when they died!" Jecht explained, still gesturing as if they didn't understand and his hand actions would make everything a lot simpler.

"You mean…the fiends?" Auron asked slowly, an incredulous look of disbelief on his face. Not knowing about aeons was one thing…but fiends?

Thankfully for Auron, at the word Jecht seemed to pause, brow furrowing. "…fiends?" He muttered, the name sounding both familiar yet foreign to him before realization lit his eyes a second later. "Oh! Those are fiends!"

"Thank Yevon." Auron sighed off to the side. He didn't think he would be able to contain himself if Jecht claimed to have never heard of fiends before.

"I've only ever heard of 'em, those wicked bastards. There were only a few of 'em and they never made it inside Zanarkand." Jecht explained as he crossed his arms behind his head and relaxed casually against the tree, his pain from before now gone.

"You've…you've never…seen…!" Auron exclaimed, a blasphemous look on his face as he flew to his feet, anger and frustration apparent on his features. "You expect us to believe-"

"Enough Auron." Braska cut in and Auron's mouth clamped shut though his eyes glared. How far was Jecht really going to take this act of his? Fiends were a very real, very imminent danger in Spira! More than ¼ the population met their end by fiend attacks and he claimed to have never seen one? It was an insult!

"Go take a walk and cool down."

Auron seethed inwardly as he turned dutifully and marched out of sight, just barely remembering to grab his katana as he left.

* * *

><p>They reached Macalania temple with four more fiend encounters, which they all survived. But it became blaring obvious, though he was too proud to ever admit it, that Jecht was a liability. He had no kind of weapons training at all, he was getting by with his quick reflexes, instincts, and luck.<p>

"He is supposed to be a guardian and he can't even fight!" Auron argued as they pushed open the temple doors, all three pausing for a moment to revel in the heat that poured out over them for the space beyond the woods but before the temple was all snow. Despite Jecht's clear lack of clothing he had said nothing about the great increase of fair climate.

"I can fight!" Jecht snapped, waving a fist towards Auron's direction.

"Try fighting with your fists and a fiend will bite it right off." Auron pointed out coldly.

Jecht's face faltered for a second before he snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Che, whatever. At least I'm not afraid to resort to my fists if I need to."

Auron's nostrils flared. "Resort! You shouldn't have to _resort_!"

Braska tuned both party members out as their bickering rose in volume, the summoner thankful that the place was empty save for them and the lone priest. Sometimes he just wished they would give it a rest.

Braska sighed as he strode across the threshold of the temple and made his way towards the stairs, passing a smile in way of greeting towards the priest stationed in front of the path towards the cloister of trials. "Lord Braska." He clarified when the priest bobbed his head, a little unsurely at him.

The names of summoners on pilgrimage traveled quickly through Spira.

The man's eyes lit with recognition before his gaze traveled to the arguing companions who were still at the entrance. "You're guardians?" He questioned, a brow raising. He had never seen guardians so…rowdy before.

The corner of Braska's lip twitched up in a smile.

"I'm afraid so."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFX**

**Authoress Note: I figure that each aeon/fayth that has an element attached to them probably has their chamber of the fayth like their element. For example, Shiva's is freezing cold whereas Ifrit's will be blistering hot. **

**That's how I like to see it anyways.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Path I've Chosen <strong>

**By: Animeroxsmyworld**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

><p>After finding comfort from the heat the temple provided, Jecht swore loudly when the cloister of trials and the chamber of the fayth revealed a brisk chill and piles of snow, as if slapping him for presuming the warmth was offered freely.<p>

The temple probably just didn't want to give the summoners hypothermia as they tried to complete the challenges. It wouldn't do them any good to kill the people who were trying to save Spira from utter destruction.

"This is bullshit." Jecht complained openly as he stood outside the chamber of the fayth, hands moving against his arms to try and bring some semblance of warmth to his body. If he continued to stay this cold for much longer he wouldn't doubt that his teeth would begin chattering.

Auron simply ignored him as he watched the door to the chamber, waiting for any sign to show that Braska was done praying and showing his respect to the fayth inside. Though if there was something more required Auron wasn't sure for he had never actually been inside the chamber himself. If Braska was successful however, the process of receiving a new aeon would be very taxing for him and Auron didn't doubt that Braska would be more than exhausted by the time he emerged from the room.

"Why can't we jus' go inside there with 'im?" Jehct complained, shivering as he spoke.

"It's forbidden." Auron supplied, looking at Jecht for the first time since following Braska into the trials, his anger towards the man from Zanarkand and all the problems he posed simmering at the back of his mind.

"That's crap. What's he even doin' in there?" Jecht snapped, the cold making his mood absolutely irritable as he glared hotly at the door that was concealing the man that would allow them to finally leave this frozen hell.

"Praying. He has to pray to the fayth and in turn they will judge him. Only a worthy summoner will receive the aeon." Auron explained, gaze flicking back to the door before he shifted, stretching his arms to work some heat into them as well. He might be wearing more layers than Jecht but the cold was still beginning to seep into his body.

He too would not object if Braska would emerge soon.

He blinked when he was met with a face of pure confusion. "What?" He asked rudely, nose wrinkling.

"_That's_ how they judge his worth? By his _prayers_?" Jecht asked incredulously. Auron's brow flattened quickly as Jecht's tone registered in his mind, the undertone of ridicule not missed by the warrior.

"Your prayers reveal your heart." He stated matter-of-factly. Jecht snorted in such a way that Auron couldn't tell whether it was laughter or dismissal. Either way he didn't like it.

But before either one of them could do anything else, the door to the chamber groaned as it opened and Braska filled the doorway, sweat rolling down his face as he staggered. Jecht blinked in surprise at the summoner's clearly exhausted appearance while Auron started making his way towards the older man.

"Lord Braska…"

Braska's eyes focused on Auron, the man blinking sluggishly as he took a slow step forward. "Auron." He said, his voice weak, lips blue from the cold, before his eyes rolled and his body fell.

Shouts of surprise filled the air as both guardians jerked, Auron managing to grab a hold of Braska's robe before he could hit the ground while Jecht came up only a mere second later, helping to haul Braska upright. With Braska no longer doing anything to support his own weight, the two guardians were left with having one of his arms slung over their shoulders as they tried to move about.

"What the hell happened?" Jecht asked as he grunted from the newfound weight added to his side.

"It's a very taxing process." Auron grunted back as he too fumbled with Braska's unconscious form. Jecht muttered inarticulate obscene words while Auron's brow furrowed. Even if the procedure was taxing, he hadn't expected it to have this big of an effect, he had never quite heard of a summoner passing out after receiving an aeon before.

And then he felt it.

It was a bone chilling cold, the kind that made your insides hurt and your body numb. It was seeping from the door to the chamber of the fayth, the open door just beginning to grind close as Auron stared up at it. As it shut, the icy feeling disappeared from the room, returning it to its normal irritable coldness.

If it had been that freezing inside the chamber while Braska was praying for the full 15 minutes he had been trapped inside, than it was little wonder he had collapsed.

"We should hurry and get him to the priest." Auron bit out sharply, a tone of urgency in his voice as he realized that Braska just might need medical attention. The kind of attention that he nor Jecht seemed to have.

"What do ya think I'm doin'?" Jecht shot back before the two practically raced Braska's body out of the freezing hell.

* * *

><p>Luckily for the two guardians, the head priest at the temple knew a few cure spells for such this occasion.<p>

"This happens more than we would like to admit." He admitted sheepishly as he ushered the trio into an empty room where the temple would usually house the sick and injured, the heat of the temple beginning to thaw the damage that the chambers below had caused.

"Well maybe if you would spend some money to heat up the whole damn place instead of jus' the main floor, shit like this wouldn't happen!" Jecht snarled as he relinquished his hold on Braska and let Auron ease him down onto the bed that sat in the plainly decorated room.

The priest looked up at Jecht aghast. "We can't! It would…the fayth…it…!" He sputtered.

Auron found himself explaining before Jecht could even ask. "Some fayth are affiliated with different elements. The one Lord Braska went to go see just so happens to be affiliated with ice and snow. Asking the temple to heat up the chamber where the fayth is would be like asking them to kill it."

Although he had never actually been inside the cloister of trials or farther until now, Auron knew all about the temples and the different aeons. He was an ex-warrior monk who had served in a temple after all.

The priest nodded his head vigorously at Auron's explanation while Jecht still continued to scowl.

"Sounds like a load of bull to me." Jecht grunted while Auron finally stepped away from Braska, allowing the priest, who was now becoming more frightened of Jecht with each passing second, the chance to scuttle over to the summoner's side and begin healing him.

"Dear me, he did get it rather bad didn't he?" The priest mused to himself as he continued to weave the spell, Jecht shooting a glare the priest's way before all three returned to watching Braska as the priest straightened, the color beginning to seep back into Braska's face. There was a moment of silence before Braska's eyes fluttered and his mouth opened, his chest heaving in a lungful of deliciously warm air.

Auron visibly relaxed, the tension practically disappearing from his body as Auron groaned. His body felt like it was on pins and needles as his once cold form began to warm, pain throbbing through him. His hands went to his head, trying to stop the pulsating pain that was throbbing against his skull.

"Are you feeling better my lord?" Auron asked in concern as he began walking forward, the priest excusing himself from the room now that his service was no longer required. If they needed him, he would just be out in the hall.

"I can honestly say I've been better." Braska replied as he cracked an eye open, wincing against the harsh light from the above fixture. His response brought a small smile from Auron and a smirk mixed with a snort from Jecht.

Braska slowly sat himself up, the only sounds in the room being the rustle of his robes before Auron cleared his throat.

"Did you er…get the aeon?" He questioned, unsure how to phrase it delicately before just outright speaking what was on his mind. He would hate for Braska to have gone through all that to merely get rejected by the fayth.

"O' course he did!" Jecht replied from the side, waving the question away as if Auron shouldn't have even bothered asking. He spoke with such a volume of confidence that for once, Auron actually felt stupid for questioning the summoner.

Yet he couldn't help glancing at Braska from the corner of his eye. Despite Jecht's clearly confident statement, the blitzer was staring at the summoner intently as well. Apparently his confident statement needed reassurance.

Braska looked at them both for a second before his lips pulled up and he nodded.

"You never would've been able to get me out if I had not."

* * *

><p>Braska didn't want to inconvenience the temple anymore than he felt they had so the trio trudged back through the snow until they came across a budding travel agency stationed not too far away.<p>

They would rest the night there before heading towards the Thunder Plains.

Teeth chattering, Jecht all but barreled through the front door of the agency, swearing and painting whatever words he used absolutely colorful. The person behind the desk, a young woman, just watched him owlishly from behind a thick pair of goggles.

"Calm yourself." Auron instructed as he came through the doorway, Braska following behind him. Jecht was too tired and cold to start an argument, thus letting his tirade fall into quiet words and grunts of anger. Auron shook the snow that had started to fall from his hair while Braska began shaking the flakes from his sleeves.

The woman behind the counter seemed to regain herself, realizing that these people were probably customers and straightened.

"Rammu, lyh e ramb oui?" She asked politely. Jecht stared at her, nose wrinkling ever so slightly.

"Huh?"

Auron blinked as well before looking around the shop, as if noticing it for the first time. "It's Al Bhed." He mused out loud before turning to look at the girl directly. "Do you speak Spiran?" He asked raising a brow.

He was met with absolute silence as she just stared at him, her brows rising in silent confusion.

"Guess not." He muttered. Through all his studies he had yet to learn the Al Bhed language. Their culture was thought blasphemous to the teachings, relying instead on machina instead of Yevon and the aeons.

Before either of the guardians could say anything, Braska made his way to the counter that separated them from the Al Bhed woman, still shaking himself free from snow.

"Rammu. Fa fuimt mega du nahd uid drnaa nuusc vun dra hekrd." He explained, the girl blinking before smiling. The moment that she realized they might not speak the same language as her, she feared that things would get really complicated. The agency was still rather new here in Macalania and so it was usually only Al Bhed's who came in. Either that or their customers were able to at least speak some Al Bhed. Yet when she heard no Al Bhed leave these new comers mouths, panic began to wash over her.

Only for relief to chase it away when the robed man opened his mouth and seemed to speak it rather fluently.

"Oac, uv luinca." She nodded, Braska nodding in turn before reaching into one of the pockets in his robe and pulling out his travel money. In turn, she passed him three separate keys that led to the three rooms he had requested. He thanked her and handed the keys to the slightly stupefied looking guardians.

"These are keys to your rooms. We'll only be staying one night." He explained.

"Anything beats roughing it out in the forest again." Jecht declared as he looked at his key before heading back towards the only door that led further into the shop.

"For once I have to agree with him." Auron muttered as he pocketed his key as well and followed after the shirtless man. Braska made to follow after him before pausing in the doorway.

"Frana ec Rin?"

The woman turned to look at him before frowning. "Ra'c yd dra udran crub."

Braska only nodded before continuing down the passage. It might just be better for him if he didn't see Rin right now. The Al Bhed community was very tightly knit and Rin had been very good friends with his wife.

He didn't think the man would be very pleased with his decision to leave Yuna behind to pursue the summoner's pilgrimage. Despite his many good qualities, Braska hoped he didn't accidentally run into him.

Him…and Cid.

* * *

><p>The next morning, the three were pleased to awaken well rested with a complimentary breakfast offered to them by the agency. Of course Braska had to be the one to translate everything but that seemed to be of little concern for them at the moment. They were too focused on the meal to let the language barrier bother them, they hadn't truly had a decently cooked meal since Bevelle, since Auron's cooking skills were only on par so eating out in the wild wasn't exactly a party for the mouth.<p>

But it was unfortunately thanks to this, that Jecht was able to fall into his old habits.

"Where did you get that?" Auron accused, pointing to one of the several flasks of alcohol Jecht now had strapped to his hip, opposite of his sword. Yevon that would be a stupid combination.

"I ordered it." Jecht smiled lazily, taking a sip from the flask Auron had gestured at.

"You can't even speak Al Bhed!" Auron snapped while the three wove through the Macalania woods, heading towards the Thunder Plains. They had been too satisfied with their meals and easy rest that Auron had only now noticed that Jecht had been drinking something this entire time.

Jecht wagged a finger in his direction. "Paan."

"What's that mean?" Auron asked glancing towards Braska who was watching the exchange with a frown. He didn't approve of Jecht drinking, or at least, drinking this early in the morning. It wasn't even noon yet.

"It means beer." He explained. "Though I don't know where he learnt it."

Jecht only smiled before taking a deliberate sip from his flask, delighting in the anger that flushed Auron's face. He laughed before running off ahead of them, not bothering to reveal that he had actually figured it out himself by watching the only other customer in the agency order. When the elderly man had said the same word and received what looked exactly like beer, Jecht was quick to put two and two together.

"He's like a drunk child." Auron seethed while Braska sighed. They watched as Jecht scampered ahead, having much more energy than they'd ever seen him with, before he disappeared from their sight.

"He can't get that far." Braska stated. "The Thunder Plains are close."

Indeed, if one stopped and listened, they could already hear the rumble of thunder rolling through the air. The sky was fading from the clear blue to a startling black and the air was beginning to dampen with the ever present threat of rain. As they neared the entrance to the Thunder Plains, they found Jecht standing stock still, eyes fixated in front of him.

If Jecht had been awed by Macalnia, he was dead fascinated with the Thunder Plains. But to watch a fiend go scuttling across the open plains only to get blasted with lightning immediately made him change his mind from awesome to downright dangerous.

Though he had to admit that had been pretty sweet.

"Where—" He started, only for Braska to cut him off.

"The Thunder Plains." The summoner explained, already anticipating the question the man was about to ask. "The storm overhead is always constant, never stopping. It's a place that calls for great caution."

"Even with those towers serving as lightning rods, it is still a nightmare to cross. Many people have easily died trying to pass through." Auron continued as he came up to Jecht's other side.

Jecht just stared at the scene ahead of him before a huge grin lit his face.

"Awesome!" He enthused before scrabbling forward, only to flinch as lightning struck a couple feet away from him and made him dart to a nearby lightning tower. "Someone tape this!" He cried as he placed his flask back onto his hip and began rummaging through his pockets for his sphere.

Disbelief colored Auron's face. "Are you joking?"

"No, seriously." Jecht called before he found the sphere and ran back, thrusting it in Auron's hand, an eager grin still on his face despite the lightning flashing down around them. Auron didn't have a chance to protest before Jecht darted back, this time going to a tower that was even farther, and turning around to strike a pose.

Auron muttered incoherent things before flicking the sphere on and holding it up without care.

"Hey! Hold it steady!" Jecht called out from where he was positioned.

Auron sighed in irritation before he steadied his hold on the sphere, the picture becoming better though he honestly didn't care.

"Why am I doing this?"

When no answer reached his ears Auron looked over and frowned when he saw Braska staring off in the distance, a deep look of thought etched on his face. Auron watched him for a second, ready to shrug it off as one merely lost in thought when Braska's eyes moved and he mumbled something under his breath.

Auron blinked before following his gaze, realizing that Braska was indeed looking at something. Off in the distance Auron could just make out the iron working of a rather big house, but he couldn't quite be sure. It was still quite a ways away.

"What do you see there my lord?" He decided to question instead.

Braska started for a second, his grip on his staff tightening before he relaxed as his eyes settled on Auron. "Oh I was just…thinking."

Auron raised a brow but said nothing. He would not raise a flag if Braska wished to keep secrets from him. He was allowed to have his own thoughts after all. As one set on the path of a summoner, Auron would actually expect as much.

Jecht's voice called to them from the distance as he began making his way towards the two. "This is important!" He yelled. "No foolin' around! You're gonna spoil it!" He declared in irritation at the lack of attention Auron was giving the task, obvious by the fact that the sphere was once again veering off course.

Auron only rolled his eyes and ignored him. He was about to open his mouth when he saw Braska's eyes widen and a flash of lightning filled the area as it struck nearby ground.

"Whoa!"

Auron couldn't help snapping the sphere back to Jecht, the shirtless man lying dazed on the ground. The ex-monk felt his lips begin to quirk up into a smile.

"Are you all right?" Braska asked as he began walking forward, ever the thoughtful one.

"Now there's a scene for posterity!" Auron grinned, unable to help himself. His comment made Braska pause before the summoner leaned his head back and laughed, as if realizing the hilarity of the situation.

Jecht only groaned on the ground before he began to roll over onto his hands and knees. "Yeah yeah." He grumbled bitterly. He shot the sphere a dirty glare and recognizing his queue, Auron shut the device off.

* * *

><p><strong>Rammu, lyh e ramb oui?<strong> – Hello, can I help you?

**Rammu. Fa fuimt mega du nahd uid drnaa nuusc vun dra hekrd** – Hello. We would like to rent out three rooms for the night.

**Oac, uv luinca** – Yes, of course

**Frana ec Rin?** – Where is Rin?

**Ra'c yd dra udran crub** – He's at the other shop

**Paan - **Beer


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFX**

**Authoress Note: This one took a little bit longer to get out even though I had this chapter planned out for a while now, just cause I moved and the whole packing and unpacking process is quit tiring (for me anyways).**

**Again, the names for Seymour's, Yuna's and Tidus' mothers are made up. I don't think they were ever given names. **

**Oh and since Tidus doesn't leave Zanarkand until after Braska's pilgrimage I consider him 'dead' up to this point until Sin comes and grabs him from Zanarkand. Then he's not dead.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Path I've Chosen<strong>

**By: Animeroxsmyworld**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

><p>Lightning danced across the sky as the trio faced against a set of fiends, the creatures prowling and growling as they slinked around the group in a predatory dance, all four fiends wolves of a bluish hue with eyes as red as rubies.<p>

It all seemed like a waiting game, the first move up for grabs before a wolf gave into temptation and launched forward, jaws snapping. Suddenly the three other fiends were rushing forward as well, as if an unspoken sign had gone off.

Auron's katana swung and caught the first wolf in the mouth where it yelped and spiraled off only to return, though with slightly less vigor than before. Auron took a few steps back as he fended it off before managing to spin around it as it lunged forward and brought his blade through its neck, the blood spraying high into the air. Yet his work continued as another barked at him, running and nipping at his legs.

Without thinking Auron sent a kick out and knocked the creature in the chest, the hound yelping as it hit the ground, rolled onto its feet and lunged. Auron took a step to position himself for the easy slay when his eyes widened as his footing fell from underneath him, his body slipping.

It was all the loose dirt of the Thunder Plains! His heart raced for a second, his head swirling with thoughts as he watched himself fall in slow motion, the wolf's body getting closer and closer to him.

Thinking quick he thrust his katana upward and got the creature in the chest where it gave a shrill shriek before his body smacked onto the ground, grunting as the fiend landed on top of him limply before disappearing.

Braska swung his staff as another wolf ran in too close and too quickly for him to cast away with magic, the wolf backing away before lunging again at catching the summoner's arm between its teeth, the robed man giving a silent cry before swinging his staff up like a bat and delivering a dizzying blow to the temple.

The wolf skittered backwards as Braska retracted his now bleeding arm.

"C'mon!" Jecht yelled ferociously, ever the eager one, as he leapt forward to meet the wolf that Braska had knocked aside. It snapped at him, quick to see him as a new target. Muscles bunched before it leapt at him, catching Jecht by surprise and making him freeze, the wolf bowling him to the ground.

His blade went skittering from his hand upon impact with the earth and to avoid having his face chewed off by a snarling wolf; Jecht was reduced to trying to hold the fiend's face away from his own with his bare hands, hands pushing away the beast's insistent muzzle.

He grunted and winced as the fiend's claws dug into his chest as it struggle against him, head thrashing against him in its fierce attempt to devour some part of him.

"…damn…fucking…fiend!" Jecht cursed beneath grunts as he tried to roll the wolf off from on top of him. He gave a cry of frustration which turned into a battle cry as he used all his strength as he rolled the fiend onto its back and made a mad scramble for his blade before it could regain itself, ignoring the blood trickling down his chest from the scratches he had received. His hand tightened around the hilt of the blade the same moment lightning seared from the sky and scorched the ground no more than five feet away from the three, disintegrating the only other fiend they were fighting.

Bewildered Jecht looked over at Braska.

"Was that you?" He asked as he managed to roll himself up onto his feet, thankful that the flash of lightning had frightened his wolf into a moment of pause.

Braska only shook his head numbly and Jecht couldn't help gulping.

The wolf regained itself and Jecht rushed forward meeting it head on, the beast wrapping its jaw around Jecht's extended arm, blood bubbling from the wound though Jecht didn't even flinch as he brought his sword down forcibly into the wolf's skull.

The last fiend fell with a wounded shriek, withering on the ground as its legs bunched in on its body before the wolf stopped moving altogether and dissolved into pyreflies. Braska relaxed breathing heavily as he planted the butt end of his staff into the ground and leaned against it, his left arm protesting with each movement as blood continued to drip from the wound on his bicep, the blood seeping through the fabric of his robe. Braska gave a small wince before cradling it close to his body.

"Phew! Glad that's done with." Jecht sighed as he slouched, his chest looking like a network of blood.

Without warning Auron whirled around, katana slicing through the air towards Jecht who cried out in surprise, instinct kicking in as he sloppily raised his own blade up to match the other warrior's, the blade's matching with a resonating clang.

"Hey!"

"Auron!" Braska snapped, senses kicking to full alert.

"So you can block." Auron huffed angrily, ignoring Braska's scolding as he glared at the ball player glaring back at him from the other side of their crossed blades. "Could've fooled me." He continued before lifting his blade away.

"What's that s'pose ta mean?" Jecht accused.

"You look like an idiot out there." Auron stated and then swung his sword again, Jecht flinching as his automatically came to block it. "Each time we get in a fight you get hit by a move that can easily be blocked if you could only be bothered to learn how to fight properly. I've lost my patience with your obnoxious idiocy knave!" He hissed before Auron's eyes narrowed. "You're grip is loose…weak. I can break it easily."

Jecht opened his mouth to protest but Auron simply put more pressure on his blade and twisted his wrist and Jecht could feel his sword slipping from his fingers. It clattered uselessly to the ground where Auron looked at it pointedly.

"Pick it up." He ordered. Scowling Jecht obliged and picked up the dropped weapon. "Now hold it like this." Auron instructed holding his hand up so the hilt of his katana was easy to see, especially the way his fingers were curled around the grip.

Grumbling Jecht did so. No sooner had he done so and raised his gaze back up did Auron's blade fall, Jecht jumping and raising his to meet it.

This would be the first of many lessons to come.

* * *

><p>Jecht stopped suddenly on the road and cupped a hand around his ear, a look of alarm on his face. "Am…am I deaf?" He asked as he looked around wildly, eyes going towards the sky when he heard no rumble of thunder. It had been a constant sound for the past three days, that and the flashes of light that accompanied it.<p>

Now…nothing.

Braska gave a simple chuckle as he shook his head. "No Jecht, you're not deaf. We're simply leaving the Thunder Plains." He assured as he gestured towards the sky ahead which faded from the dark black of the clouds to a slow bright blue, a promise of nice weather.

Jecht looked at the brightening path before them before glancing back the way they came, lightning flashing in the distance and the sky as black as ink.

His face twitched before it cracked into a smile, relief washing over him and hysterical laughter bubbling up from his chest. He cackled and doubled over, his laughter growing until it was echoing through the air.

"He's finally cracked." Auron assessed as he watched Jecht for a few seconds, the blitzball player trying to reign in his sudden burst of relief induced laughter. When he finally managed to control himself he couldn't wipe the grin from his face.

"So where are we headed now?" He asked as he straightened, hands on his hips.

"We must make it through the Moonflow to Djose temple, but Guadosalem isn't far and will make for a nice place to get rested and stock up." Braska said as grass began to sprout on the ground again, the brown of the ground beginning to get color once again.

Auron made a unsatisfied sound before turning to face Jecht. "Don't say anything foolish." He warned already picturing some of the various responses Jecht could come up with when seeing the Guado. And from the few times that Auron himself had met with them, they weren't much for humor. Braska gave a single nod at Auron's advice.

"Huh? Why?" Jecht asked, genuinely curious.

"You'll see soon enough."

* * *

><p>The single inn inside Guadosalem was decorated with bright colors that matched the grand ornate design that covered the walls, doors, and just about every other building that made up the small town. Bright greens, purples, faded reds, silvers, golds…all swirling and twining through pillars and arches. The whole town itself seemed to be located in a rather large glade with some buildings disappearing into trees or hills, the pathways that paved through town colored tiles instead of the grass and dirt that led them here.<p>

"Fancy." Jecht commented as he stopped to inspect a nearby pillar, running a hand over the raised engravings of gold and silver dancing across the faded red and purple. He then reached for the nearby bottle of alcohol attached to his hip and took a casual sip, taking another as he continued to survey the new town set out before him.

Of course it was no Zanarkand but it had a certain finesse to it.

"Yes the Guado do seem to have a certain flare to them." Braska agreed as he let his eyes roam over the enclosed town. Auron was a few steps ahead of them reading the sign of a building before nodding to himself and turning back to them.

"This is it. The Jeweled Cup." He stated as he pointed to the sign that had some scrawling that Jecht couldn't quite believe Auron had made out with a faded cup just underneath. The door opened with a squeal that made all three men cringe before Auron ushered them inside.

As Jecht passed the red warrior Auron placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. "Nothing stupid." He whispered, his grip tightening painfully for a split second before he let go and followed Jecht inside.

He would not have Jecht making them look like idiots to all of Spira.

Jecht scowled, about to ask what it was Auron was going on about when he spotted his very first Guado.

His mind went instantly blank, his face matching as he took note of all the differences that separated Guados from humans.

The pointed ears.

Elongated fingers.

Sharp claw like nails.

The Guado behind the main desk was a thin young man with ice blue hair spiked up like a flame and gold slanted eyes, his tall frame draped in green gold and white. His eyes rose to take in the three customers and Jecht spotted the smallest hint of a slit in his pupil.

He caught himself with his mouth open, a question on his tongue and snapped his jaw shut. It helped that Auron was glaring daggers at him, watching him like a hawk, the damn ponytail bastard. He settled for crossing his arms and pointedly looking away, forcing himself not to stare and stay quiet.

Obviously since they had gone through such efforts to remind him not to say anything, he really shouldn't test his luck and run his mouth. For once, he should try to listen.

That didn't mean he liked it.

Braska pulled out his money pouch and paid for a set of rooms, paying full price without even hinting at haggling, though it was quite common to haggle at other inns. But Guados were proud and if they wanted rooms at the inn, haggling wasn't even an option. It was full price or nothing. The rooms were small and rather bare looking, though a bed and a tiny dresser adorned them. Still, the trio wasn't exactly weighed down with possessions so the rooms continued to look bare as they placed what little possessions they bothered to part with inside the rooms.

"Let's take this time to practice your fighting now that we're not travelling." Auron said as he walked the few steps it took to go from his room to Jecht's. The Abes player looked up from where he was setting down all his beer, Auron frowning at the sight of all the bottles.

"Here?" Jecht asked, gesturing to the tiny room. There was limited space.

"There's space just beside the inn, if you two don't get too out of hand." Braska advised as he joined the two, his form filling in the doorframe.

"Would you like to join too my lord?" Auron asked. "You have skills in magic that we don't quite have."

Braska shook his head in refusal. "No that's alright. I was hoping to visit some nearby shops, maybe take a small stroll among the town before turning in for the night." He explained.

Jecht looked incredulous. "We've been walkin' for days! You wanna do more?"

Braska only smiled, saying nothing before walking out of the narrow hallway and out of the inn.

* * *

><p>Jecht cussed loudly as he was pushed backwards by the onslaught of Auron's katana, his feet fumbling to keep him upright as he stumbled backwards. Their blades connected above, resonating through the air as Auron continued with a rhythmic persistence.<p>

"Fuck! Piss off!" Jecht growled at him, fearing not for the blade that he was somehow managing to block, but instead for his wavering balance. The moment he slipped and fell it would be all over. With a rise of anger, and maybe spite towards Auron who was forcing him into this, Jecht grabbed his bottle of booze and in a wild attempt, hocked it at the trained warrior.

Auron blinked in surprise as the plastic container struck his temple, making him pause for a brief second.

That was all Jecht needed.

"AAAAHHHH!"

A battle cry tore itself from him as he struck out, a startled look washing over Auron's features as he was forced to jump back to avoid the wide strike that Jecht made. Too confident now, Jecht lunged forward. Auron watched him for a split moment before turning his body to the side, letting Jecht slide past him and adjusting his katana in his hand.

The butt end of the katana came crashing down on Jecht's crown and the blitzer gave a shout of pain as he fell to the ground, hands coming up to cradle his head and leaving his weapon forgotten.

"Don't get cocky now." Auron advised, a hint of smugness overriding his voice as the corner of his mouth twitched up in a smirk. Jecht could only grumble and seethe at him.

That stupid ponytail bastard.

Auron glanced from the sore blitzer to where he had last spotted Braska shopping with a nearby merchant and felt his brow furrow in thought when he saw him instead talking to a tall, exotic looking women. She had long dark hair contrasting her pale complexion, an air of silent, gentle authority oozing from her. Her clothing were definitely Guado made but something about her was off. A child of about ten was at her side, watching the exchange between the two curiously though he remained dead silent, his hair a dark blue though something about him was off too.

Auron was still puzzling over it, ignoring Jecht's insults when it struck him.

She was human. She wasn't Guado at all!

The boy had human ears. He was only half Guado!

"Yevon…" Auron breathed in awe as realization struck him. His change in character made Jecht blink in confusion.

"Huh? What?"

Auron didn't even look at him, only gestured towards where Braska was still conversing. "Do you know who that is? That's Lady Ann and her son Seymour. She's the wife to Lord Jyscal, leader of the Guado." He continued, unconsciously beginning to walk as he spoke. Jecht watched Auron's almost trance like state and snorted with amusement at the thought that the ex-monk might not do well around famous people. It was a pleasing thought to him since he was famous in Zanarkand.

He eventually turned his gaze to Lady Ann and her son as he followed behind Auron as a leisurely pace.

She didn't really look like much to him. The boy at her side looked too scrawny.

They approached Braska within seconds, Guadosalem isn't really that big, and Lady Ann was quick to spot them, a polite and fully political smile appearing on her face.

"Hello." She greeted.

"Lord Braska, Lady Ann." Auron nodded, sounding just a touch flustered at her presence. Jecht smirked before giving just a single nod towards them.

"These are your guardians?" She asked, looking at the two of them with calculating stares, Seymour copying her. The intensity at which they looked them over made Jecht shuffle while Auron tensed. Braska simply nodded in reply and Lady Ann's political smile returned to her face.

She addressed them this time. "I was just telling Braska how honored I am to meet one destined for the Summoner's Path." She explained. She turned to Braska once again. "If there is anything you need before you head out tomorrow, please don't hesitate to ask. You summoners are the future of Spira."

At this she bowed towards him and Jecht felt his finger twitched as he recognized the sacred bow as the blitzball signal for good luck. As she bowed Seymour blinked before fumbling to copy her, a light flush coloring his cheeks in embarrassment.

"Thank you my lady." Braska returned the gesture and then she smiled once more before parting from them, Seymour trailing quietly behind.

* * *

><p>"I'm going to the farplane."<p>

Jecht only stared blankly while Auron relaxed slightly in his seat. "I figured you would before we left." He admitted quietly as he looked up Braska, his fork still stabbed into his breakfast before him. It's almost like a must to visit the farplane while in Guadosalem, if you're not a Guado or an Al Bhed.

It's just simply what you do.

"I think it will help me clear my mind." Braska admitted as he twirled his fork idly on the table. He had been the first to finish eating and was now waiting patiently for his two guardians.

"I didn't know it was clouded." Auron replied as he took his final bite and watched the summoner thoughtfully. Jecht tried to speak but his mouth was full and he only ended up making muffled sounds that went ignored, causing him to scowl and try to chew even more quickly.

Braska only smiled though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Jecht all but walked out after them with food still in his mouth, managing to finally finish eating halfway to the great archway entrance that would lead them to the farplane. With his mouth free he began shooting off questions.

"What's a farplane? Hey! What's a farplane?"

He was ignored, the other two several steps ahead of him and deeply lost in thought. It only served to aggravate Jecht and make him seethe inwardly as they entered the passageway that was guarded by a stocky but well-built Guado with forest green hair and tan skin. He was still angry until they came to the staircase that seemed to lead to a giant multicolored bubble, the kind you blew from a little stick when you were a kid.

Jecht could only stare at it and follow dumbly as the other two made their way towards it, not at all affected by the strange entrance. He paused only a second before contact, closing his eyes and scrunching his face before meeting the strange substance that seemed to cling to his skin like spider silk for the briefest of seconds before vanishing.

It left him shuddering.

The distant sound of a waterfall made him open his eyes.

He was breathless.

He never really cared much for the beauty of things, never gave it much thought, but the beauty of the farplane couldn't be ignored. It was like a slap to the face or a punch to the groin. They stood on a rotund cliff that filled with flowers of all colors but just beyond and below was a sea of flowers going on as far as he could see. The expanse of flowers was enclosed by a wall of waterfalls on all sides, the mist from the water rising over the new blossoms. Pyreflies floated and flitted through the air, sighing and shimmering like a thousand tiny lights and in the very distance he was almost positive he could see mountains.

It was just beautiful.

"What is this place?" Jecht asked quietly, the flowers giving way and seeming to part subtly beneath his feet, petals grazing his legs from all sides. He looked around and saw that his companions weren't quite so in awe with the beauty. They were preoccupied with other things.

Braska stood near the edge of the cliff, Auron on the completely opposite side. Confused Jecht took a step towards Braska, trusting him to explain a bit more as to why they came here when he saw her.

He looked between Braska and the woman who floated just off the edge of the round cliff before him, her image transparent.

She was very beautiful and with just a quick glance, Jecht could already see the resemblance to Yuna etched in her face. Her mother and Braska's wife no doubt.

Jecht was stuck staring at her for several minutes before he managed to continue moving towards Braska again. Once close enough he repeated his question.

It was a few seconds before Jecht got a response, Braska slowly tearing his eyes away from the image of his dead wife who smiled back sadly at him. His face was pinched with pain but he still spoke with an eerie calmness in his voice.

"This is the farplane." He started, his eyes sweeping over the expanse of flowers that covered the ground they walked on as a pyreflie sighed behind his head, sweeping through the air. "The dead get sent here and the pyreflies react to our memories, recreating the image of the person." He explained.

Jecht blinked twice.

So it was a place to see the dead?

He slowly turned and looked over his shoulder where Auron stood on the other side of the round surface, a young transparent woman standing before him, eyes shining down at him lovingly with a small sad smile adorning her tan face. Auron looked like he wanted to reach out and touch her, but was holding himself back for he knew if he tried, he would be met with nothing.

Jecht suddenly felt a mix of discomfort and fear mix inside of his stomach as he took a few steps away. He didn't exactly feel comfortable hanging around with a bunch of dead people. It just didn't sit right with him.

Something about it just seemed unnatural.

He began walking back to the exit, his feet carrying more than halfway there when curiosity wiggled its way into his stomach like a tiny worm and made him take a quick glance back at Braska and his wife. In that split second he locked eyes with Amera, Braska's wife. They were bright green, like his own wife's and he jolted, shock lancing through him.

He inhaled before looking forward, ready to leave, and froze.

"Leah…" He breathed, eyes widening.

Green eyes looked back at him before a small smile lit up that all too familiar face, her brown hair pulled away from her face in a ponytail and her thin body dressed in what was once the trendy stay-at-home style of Zanarkand.

He couldn't breathe, his throat hurt, his heart thumping painfully in his chest.

"…no…" He whispered as he shook his head, taking a single step back.

She just continued to watch him, her gaze holding him in place while he struggled to pick up the shattered pieces of his mind, trying to string together some semblance of thought. It seemed like only days ago that he had said good-bye to her before climbing onto the ship for the blitzball tournament.

She had…died?

All he could do was shake his head numbly, disbelief clawing at him as his eyes stung.

Then a sudden fear flashed Tidus' sulking face to the front of his mind and he barely registered the fact that pyreflies were beginning to gather in correspondence before his memory left him, his feet carrying him with incredible speed away from the pyreflies that dispersed as he fled.

* * *

><p>"What's the matter my lord?" Auron asked as he noticed the frown marring the summoner's face, Braska's eyes scanning the area as they left the farplane his frown only deepening as he voiced his concern.<p>

"Have you seen Jecht?"

Auron raised a brow before looking around the area as well, the few roads and buildings that made up Guadosalem easily visible from the vantage point that the farplane provided.

"He must've headed to the inn early. The farplane isn't suited for everyone." Auron reasoned after spotting no sign of the fellow guardian. Braska didn't look satisfied with the answer but allowed himself to make his way towards the inn despite it. He had explained the basic workings of the farplane to Jecht and then had turned his attention back to Amera.

When he had finally managed to put all his thoughts in order Jecht was no longer on the farplane with them.

Maybe Jecht had a more Al Bhed approach to the farplane instead, wishing to only see the dead in their minds. Memories are merely memories or something of that sort.

But then wouldn't he have waited for them by the entrance?

Braska was still thinking about the other guardian's whereabouts when they reached the inn, the bright ornate door opening with a squeal and the obvious piney scent that only seemed to belong to the Guado entered their noses. The inn seemed to be bathed in the woodsey smelling perfume.

The thin young Guado behind the main desk looked up as they walked through the door and immediately straightened, gold eyes widening. "So you are still here! Good, good." He smiled, nodding his head to them, ice blue spikes falling about with each movement of his head.

Auron frowned. "What gave you the impression that we left?"

The Guado gave a simple shrug. "Well the other fellow you were travelling with went in and out of his room so quickly I thought you must've rushed off somewhere and perhaps forgotten your things. It's happened quite a few times if you can believe that." He explained as he jerked his chin back to the small hallway that would lead to their rooms.

Braska felt a sinking feeling settle in his stomach while Auron's face turned stony before the ex-monk marched towards the room without so much as a word, the young Guado watching curiously.

A second later Auron came back out into the lobby, fury clear in his eyes and his teeth clenched together tightly. Braska felt he knew what Auron was going to hiss before he did.

"He left!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFX**

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><p><strong>The Path I've Chosen<strong>

**By: Animeroxsmyworld**

**Chapter 5**

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><p>Jecht stumbled along the road, all the bottles of beer he had purchased back in the Thunder Plains strapped to his waist in various ways though one bottle seemed to always occupy his hand. His sword occupied his back and his sphere and whatever small amount of money he had managed to pick up since leaving Bevelle were shoved in his pocket.<p>

That was all he owned.

It really wasn't much.

He took a long swig of beer as he paused on the road, a nearby woman shaking her head to herself at seeing someone drinking in the middle of the day. Honestly, where was everyone's dignity now a day? Jecht didn't even see her as he continued past, his mind a delightful, emotionless haze.

As soon as he had ran to the inn, he had popped open the first bottle of beer he could find and upended it as quickly as he could without getting sick. It had lightened the whole incident at the farplane, pushing his feelings away and putting him in a hazy fog as he quickly drank another. His world fell into the beautiful arms of familiar intoxication as he managed his way out of the inn and down the street, continuing to drink for fear he might feel something.

He didn't know where he was going but then again he didn't care.

He wanted to get away.

How long had he been out here? He didn't know.

Had he been traveling long? He didn't know. It could have been days already for all he cared.

A swell of grief bubbled up inside of him unbidden and he was quick to shove it down, drowning it with a long hard swig of alcohol.

Staggering he continued on his way.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe him!" Auron ranted as the two hit the road, Braska keeping quick pace beside him now that they no longer had to wait for Jecht to keep up. "Guardians do not just leave a summoner! It's unheard of! That man is who you trusted your life to!"<p>

Braska pinched the bridge of his nose as he listened to his old friend. Ever since learning of Jecht's disappearance, Auron had not been able to keep quiet about Jecht and his shortcomings. It was if all Auron had needed was a single opening and he had found it.

"I know Auron." Braska simply said when there was a lull to Auron's voice. "But I still have faith in him. Besides, he can't have gotten far."

* * *

><p>Walking.<p>

Another sip.

More drinking and walking.

Stumble.

People. Travellers.

Knocking over. Raised voices.

A fight?

Bring it on.

* * *

><p>It was two days and Auron had given up hope of finding Jecht though he didn't really have much hope in the first place. He was quick to label the ball player a deserter. They had freed him from prison after all, why wouldn't he try to escape to freedom instead of keeping his word? Besides, what good was the word of a delusional drunkard?<p>

That man, from _Zanarkand_? _Please_. And here he was starting to actually trust the other guardian.

Braska however was still keeping his eyes open for the shirtless man as they began trekking along the Moonflow. He kept repeating that Jecht really couldn't have gotten far and continued to search for him like an owner who had lost their dog.

It irked Auron how loyal the summoner could be. He let his temper slip through his fingers as he sighed, finding no strength to keep up his argument with the older man. For Braska's sake, and his alone, Auron wished Jecht really did head this way instead of turning tail and running the other direction.

Movement up ahead near the side of the road caught both of their attention. Two men were seated on the grass near the side of the road, the taller one with curly hair was grumbling swear words under his breath as he changed the bandages on his hand, bright bruises decorating his jaw and shoulder. The man next to him was considerably smaller in size but looked less injured, the only sign at all that he was injured was the black eye swelling his eye shut.

"Oh dear, were you two attacked by a fiend?" Braska asked as he and Auron approached, the two men looking up as their shadows fell over them. The smaller man spoke up, his face twisting into a scowl.

"Nope, ain't no fiend. We could handle a fiend if'n we had to." The man said gesturing to the small knifes the two had at their sides. People in Spira grew up expecting to fight fiends, especially if they're travellers.

"Bloody drunk." The taller man grunted quietly as he tightened the bandage around his hand, using his teeth to secure the knot. The small redhead nodded his head in agreement.

"Should keep an eye out for 'im if you're heading down that way. He has a sword but in the state he's in, he's not smart enough to use it." Red warned, gesturing his head towards the end of their path that lead farther into the Moonflow, towards the Shoopuf docks.

"I'm sorry, did you say a drunk?" Auron questioned, a tone of disbelief in his voice.

Red shrugged. "Yeah. Don' matter though, we got our far share in too. Man went wild when we tried to steady him after he practically fell over. Started swingin'."

"Shirtless, large tattoo on his chest?" Auron continued, his disbelief growing while Braska watched everything silently.

Eyes narrowed at the warrior, a suspicious look starting to scrawl over the two men's faces. "…yeah. You know him?"

"How long ago did you fight?" Braska asked, directing their attention towards him. Red's arms crossed over his chest, the silk of his vest snagging on his wristband.

"Bout two days ago." He answered slowly. They had taken their journey back to town slowly since the fight, resting every now and then to rest up. Who knew how far that drunkard had traveled in the state they had left him in?

Braska was quick to bow to them before heading down the path, his pace quickening.

* * *

><p>Jecht felt horrendous.<p>

He wasn't sure whether it was from the massive hangover or the injuries he had no memory of receiving. Either way he felt confined to the small space under the tree that he had woken up under, his body suggesting he had passed out rather heavily underneath its shade.

Passed out…knocked out…it was all the same wasn't it?

He hissed, cringing into a tighter ball as his whole head throbbed, a brightly coloured bruise enveloping the whole left side of his face and making the combined throbbing of the pain and his hangover almost unbearable. His lip was split, burning each time he vomited in his attempt to stand up, his stomach rolling and clenching each time he moved.

He must look pathetic right now.

He suspected he had a cracked rib, possibly two. He really should move from where he was but each time he tried he would just vomit, his stomach just continuing to puke out clear liquid as he had been days with barely enough food as he wandered the road. His memories were all black, he remembered nothing.

He swivelled his gaze until he saw his bottle lying forgotten in the grass next to his fallen form.

"I just need enough to make it stop." He assured himself as he reached a shaky hand towards the big bottle. Normally after a binge this big he didn't want to look at alcohol for weeks but he needed it.

He needed everything to go away.

He just needed enough so he could stand, move, possibly even walk.

Hands trembling, stomach rolling in disgust, he brought it to his lips and swallowed.

* * *

><p>"We can't even be sure he's still here my Lord. They said it was two days ago." Auron reminded as they walked quickly towards the Shoopuf docks, Braska's senses on alert for any movement of sign on the blitzball player.<p>

"Well then I'll hope he is and make quick time." He replied calmly.

"But—"

Braska stopped suddenly sighing and turning to his guardian. "Auron." He started, exhaustion overriding his features. "He is a good man and he's my guardian. He isn't from here and I wish to return him home like I told him I would."

Auron just stared at him for a second as he silently processed his words. "You mean…Zanarkand? You actually believe him?"

Braska only smiled before continuing down the path.

* * *

><p>Jecht shuffled along with the flow of the people, some giving him a wide berth from the stench of booze coming off of him. He was considerably less drunk than he had been the past few days but he had drank enough for the pain in his body to disappear, his mind numbed to good decisions like trying to find food and other things that might try to keep him alive. It was surprising that he hadn't died of alcohol poisoning.<p>

He waltzed through the now paved paths, bumping into people without care before practically falling into a bench laid by the side of the path for weary travellers. He cursed before chuckling to himself and continuing on his way.

He could smell water.

Fogged memories of blitzball filled his brain as he inhaled, closing his eyes and following his nose towards the source like a dog. He ignored the protests as he bowled people over before he could practically feel the misty spray of water on his face.

He inhaled one last time and opened his eyes.

Blue. A lot of blue.

His drunken brain took a minute to register the sight of the humongous creature before him, the blue of its hide swaying back and forth as it shifted its weight from foot to foot, its long trunk brushing the ground as it did so.

Jecht jumped, yelping as he shot backwards a good foot, the Hypello situated ontop of the Shoopuf looking down curiously at the startled sound. "Och?" He mused as he looked at the staggering man far below.

"Huge fiend!" Jecht shouted before his hand grasped behind him, finding the hilt of his sword eventually and drawing it, a battle cry escaping Jecht as he rushed forward.

"Wait! Wait! Schtop!" The hypello cried, waving his arms and descending the huge creature all at the same time. Too late did Jecht leap up, blade drawn towards the tame creature and strike it across the flank, the creature letting out a loud wail as it startled backwards, the boarding contraption set up next to it swinging wildly from its movement. People around it scattered as the scared animal continued to wail, blood trickling from its wound while Jecht landed sloppily on the ground, swaying where he stood.

He raised his blade once more, eager to continue when blue hands grasped his wrists.

"Please schtop!" The hypello cried as he latched firmly around Jecht's wrist.

"Hey! Let go!" Jecht cried as he battle with the blue reptilian man over his blade, the hypello surprisingly strong for his thin stature.

"Schtop! Itch's my Schoopuf!"

"Let! Go!"

"JECHT!"

Startled Jecht whipped his head around, his grip relaxing and the hypello winning the struggle, the blade sliding out of Jecht's hands and accidentally cutting his palms as the hypello snatched it away from him before the creature continued to talk away in what Jecht could only assume was a hypello language.

The blow to the head completely blindsided him and Jecht fell to the ground, pain lancing through his head despite his alcohol induced sedative. Auron stood over him, fist still wound up tight in the air and a murderous look on his face while Braska began to rush towards the two, Auron having ran towards the other guardian when he caught a glimpse of what was going on, leaving the summoner behind.

* * *

><p>He was hurt. And ashamed.<p>

His whole body felt like it was shrieking from pain, his temple continuously throbbing and his side feeling like someone had stuck him with a hot poker. Yet he had been fed and Auron's blow to the head had knocked him out long enough that he was able to get some rest.

He still felt like shit though.

Jecht glanced up from where he was lying on the ground and felt his whole face darken when he spotted Auron standing a few feet away, sphere held in his hand and pointed towards the ashamed blitzball player.

"What are you shooting me for?" Jecht snapped gruffly, anger lacing his words. He bit back the wince that wanted to come out of his mouth from even just talking, the bruise along his face making every facial movement painful.

Jecht had insisted on healing on his own, without any of Braska's white magic. Maybe then his shame would go away.

Auron's eyes peered up at him from where he had been concentrating on the image in the sphere. "So you don't do anything stupid again." He replied, his voice icy like his eyes. The warrior had been furious with him all day. "I can't believe you attacked that Shoopuf, Lord Braska had to pay the handler for damages from his own travel money!"

Jecht wilted a little before pointedly turning his face away in the other direction. He didn't want to look at Auron's enraged face at the moment. He could face that ponytail bastard any other day, but not on a day when he actually deserved his anger. When he felt like the knave drunkard that Auron always proclaimed him to be.

"I said I was sorry." He mumbled for what felt like the hundredth time since they retold him what had happened since he had woken up two days ago. Auron made a noise similar to a scoff in his throat and Jecht couldn't help snapping his eyes back to him. "It's not gonna happen again! I promise!" He seethed, his anger spiking.

He wanted them to believe him. He wanted to believe himself.

This time Auron openly scoffed. "Ah, a promise?" His lips were pulled in a tight smile that would've looked polite to any stranger, but his eyes were full of bemusement. He was definitely not pleased. "Which you'll forget come tomorrow."

Jecht's teeth grit together so tightly they felt like breaking but Braska spoke up from his spot by the Moonflow.

"Auron please." He soothed, turning back to look at the two arguing guardians. "He did apologize. He knows he was wrong."

Jecht's cheeks flushed in both anger and shame. He knew he was wrong, damnit he knew that! But he didn't want to hear it! It only made his shame that much greater!

"That's it! Only thing I drink from now on is Shoopuf milk!" He roared as he shot upright to his feet, fist flying through the air to emphasis his promise. He stumbled at his movements, grabbing at his head with a silent cry as his world spun, head feeling like it was splitting open. He quickly sat back down once again to regain himself.

Braska blinked in surprise, Auron following his example. Both knew how much the foreigner loved alcohol and although they disapproved of his ways, they never quite expected him to change them either.

"You're sure?" Braska asked as his eyebrows rose.

Jecht nodded his head firmly. "We're on a journey to fight Sin and save Spira right? If I keep screwin' up…and making a fool of myself…my wife and kid are never gonna forgive me." He admitted.

His wife was alive. She was. He believed that!

Silence fell over the group as the two others just stared at him before Auron spoke up.

"That's on the record." He pointed out before he clicked a button on the sphere and watched as it turned off. They had all forgotten it was on. Jecht only folded his arms over his chest and scoffed.

"I know."

* * *

><p>Although Braska didn't approve of the fact that Jecht was littering, the blitz player upturned all that remained of his beer flasks into the nearby river before taking the empty flasks and hurling them as far as he could into the neighbouring forest.<p>

"You could've just thrown them out, no need to be so dramatic." Auron scolded as he watched the last empty flask go flying through the air, growing smaller and smaller before it disappeared into the foliage.

"This is quicker." Was his reply as he brought his arm back in and turned to his two companions. With the deed already done, Auron could only scowl at him before rolling his eyes. Now that Jecht was back, they were both back to being Braska's guardians. If it was up to Auron he wouldn't have it, but unfortunately it was Braska's decision.

That didn't mean he still wasn't angry for what he had done. Not only attacking the Shoopuf but leaving Braska while he was still on his pilgrimage.

It was almost like treason!

But for Braska's sake Auron tried to keep his anger in check, the result being his constant exhaustion. Like a weary parent with a stupid, overly energetic child.

"If you're finished we should get going. It's going to be an even longer walk to the Djose temple now that we can't ride a Shoopuf. We'll have to find a route around somehow which could take weeks."

"We could still always try to get a ride on a Shoopuf Auron, you shouldn't dismiss the possibility so quickly." Braska advised, watching as Auron sighed, a hand coming up to rub his forehead as if he was purely exhausted, his eyes closing.

"My lord," He started. "He attacked one of their Shoopufs. I doubt they'll let us on."

"But asking may save weeks off our trip." Braska pointed out before heading out in the direction of the Shoopuf station. Auron grumbled under his breath before following after the summoner.

For all his wisdom, Braska could be stubborn at times.

Seeing them making their departure, Jecht followed after, hefting his sword back onto his hip and trying to hide the fact that his body hurt with each step he took, his head practically splitting with the sunlight glaring down on them. He had caused their most recent problems so he wasn't going to detour them any longer.

He was going to suck up his pain and continue the pilgrimage. When they reached the station those who recognized Jecht from the day before gave the trio a wide berth, the various hypello there who owned Shoopufs giving him wary looks as he approached.

The one who owned the Shoopuf that Jecht had attacked actually gave the man a black look, the action rather odd looking considering a hypello's facial features, so Braska thankfully steered away from that hypello and walked towards another, a slightly smaller fatter one.

"Stay here." Auron advised with a hiss as he grabbed Jecht's arm before the other guardian could get too close to the hypello and the two guardians stood back while Braska conversed with shorter hypello, the Shoopuf rider casting nervous glances towards Jecht every few seconds.

Maybe keeping his distance was a smart idea.

Every now and then he caught snippets of Braska's conversation but everything he caught made his ears redden with shame as it confirmed that Braska was explaining how Jecht had been drunk the night before, his drunken stupor causing his attack on the Shoopuf.

The hypello was still listening as Braska continued, going into how all they needed was to cross over so they could get to Djose temple. They would even pay him double for his services.

The hypello looked hesitant for a very long time, looking between Braska, then over where Auron and Jecht stood before he eventually nodded his head. Braska smiled openly before turning and beckoning his two guardians over, the hypello disappearing as he scaled up his Shoopuf to ready it for departure.

Jecht felt like a hundred eyes were watching him as the trio got into the boarding contraption. He was used to being watched, even revelled in it back home. But now it made his shoulders hunch up as he tried to avert their gazes, jaw locked as he stared blankly ahead.

Auron saw the look on Jecht's face, the man's cocky demeanour for once gone, and felt himself relax ever so slightly. Jecht was actually sorry for what he had done, his posture screamed it in volumes.

His anger dwindled into mere annoyance.

He let out a huff before turning his gaze back towards the Shoopuf as they drew ever closer before they could step out onto the seats on its back, the animal not even stirring at their added weight.

Jecht was quick to relax into one of the padded seats, taking a long drink of the nearby water, face turned to peer into the watery depths that seemed so far below them now that they swayed at the top of the Shoopuf.

"Ish everybody ready?" The driver asked, barely turning to glance over his shoulder at them. It was more out of routine that they asked anyways, Auron doubted that the driver really cared whether they were ready or not.

Braska and Auron also took seats on the plush seats offered in the small stand.

"We're ready when you are." Braska replied and with a small flick, the Shoopuf lurched into motion, the sound of water parting echoing through their ears as the creature took a staggering step before practically gliding into deep water, truly a creature of the sea.

"Now this is more like it." Jecht breathed as he practically sank into his seat, throwing his head back and letting what sun that peeped in through their provided shade soak his face, warm him and ease his aches and pains. "This is how you travel."

* * *

><p>It was when they had spent two hours on the Shoopuf's back that they're trip took a fast, crash spiral downwards. Braska's eyes widened, his face paling as he shot to his feet, the other two jumping at his sudden movement.<p>

"My lord wh-"

"Sin."

Everything seemed to freeze, even the Shoopuf before they slowly turned to follow the summoner's gaze. Auron whispered a swear as his hand nervously went to his katana while Jecht only stared.

In the distance, maybe two blitzball stadiums away, Sin was emerging from the water.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFX**

**Authoress Note: Sorry for the delay, I hit a large span of time where I had absolutely no free time and then I hit a small story snag with this chapter but hopefully it's fixed.**

**Oh and sorry for all the Al Bhed talk in this chapter. I put translations down at the bottom if it helps, but if you're too lazy, just pretend to be as confused as Jecht.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Path I've Chosen<strong>

**By: Animeroxsmyorld**

**Chapter 6**

* * *

><p>It took a second for the sight before them to sink in before the three men exploded into a flurry of motion.<p>

Jecht drew his sword and started hollering as he made to leap off the Shoopuf with all his oblivious bravado while Auron and Braska flew to keep him on the animal and away from the giant aeon of destruction.

"What are you doing? ARE YOU INSANE?" Auron yelled as he fought back against Jecht, hands gripping the blitzers arms while Braska grabbed the shirtless man around the middle.

"I thought we were trying to kill that thing? There it is! Let's go get it!" Jecht responded as he struggled against their grip, ready to dive over the edge and into the water below, his sword gleaming like a beacon above.

"We're not strong enough yet! Jecht step back!" Braska explained with a grunt as he and Auron both tried to heave Jecht away. He was making it surprisingly difficult.

"LET ME GO!" Jecht roared before everyone froze, Sin echoing the cry with an animal like siren before it began to move, each move of its body sending waves crashing against the Shoopuf.

"What did you do?" Auron whispered hoarsely as Sin began to glide towards them, his arms sliding limply away from Jecht who could only stare in response. Halfway towards them Sin took a plunge into the water, echoing the siren like call it had emitted earlier and the water rose up like tidal waves around its body higher than any building Jecht had ever seen.

It was the last sight he saw before the wall of water crashed into him and everything went black.

* * *

><p>A sudden bout of pain hit the side of his head before it subsided. Jecht groaned as he began to come back to himself, more pain in his body becoming evident the more conscious of his body he became.<p>

Pain struck the side of his head again and Jecht cursed, shrinking back and cradling his head.

"Rao ra'c ymeja! Kad ib, kad ib."

His eyes narrowed as the language slowly registered in his head and he dragged his eyes open, wincing as blaring sunlight invaded his vision, the man standing over him barely providing any shade at all. A pair of goggles and a big mouthpiece obstructed his face but the gun in his hands pointed towards Jecht got the message across.

Jecht glowered, grumbling to himself as he sat up, still cradling his head as he did so. Sand clung to his body and he would've brushed it off if it wasn't for the gun staring him down.

"Lusa uh huf." The man snapped in irritation, flicking his gun up quickly.

"Hold your goddamn chocobos." Jecht sneered as he staggered to his feet. He felt like everything was off balance, stumbling to stay upright as the sky above him wavered. The sunlight made his eyes water and his head throb as he attempted to collect his surroundings.

The Shoopuf was nowhere in sight, possibly back by the Moonflow though its rider was only a few feet away from Jecht. It didn't take a genius to know that from the position of his body that he wasn't alive. No one's neck could snap that way.

Now standing Jecht felt the barrel of the gun press against his temple as the man, Jecht could now identify as Al Bhed, stood at his side. He mumbled something menacing to which Jecht rolled his eyes, watching as the Al Bhed slowly bent down and retracted Jecht's sword from where it had been buried in the sand, the Al Bhed's eyes trained on the blitzer the whole time.

"I can't understand ya." Jecht scoffed, as if the man was clearly stupid for not realizing this fact beforehand. From behind the mouthpiece he could see the man's mouth open when another voice interrupted, this one farther away and distinctly female.

"Drec uha'c ehzinat ujan rana!"

The man's eyes flickered to where the voice came from and his brow furrowed for a second before he waved his gun in the same direction. Jecht could take the hint. Shooting him a glare Jecht trudged over the dunes until his eye found two other Al Bhed and one fallen summoner, his senses snapping on alert as he saw the prone form lying motionless in the sand, leg twisted at an unnatural angle.

Without any sort of prompt Jecht ran the rest of the way, fumbling in the sand until he was upon the three, the other Al Bhed's whirling at his presence, guns drawn and words being shouted in Al Bhed.

"What happened?" Jecht asked quietly as he ignored them, pushing past and starting to dig sand away from the parts of his friend that had been in the wind too long. Braska looked starkly pale in his red and purple robes, sand clinging to him as he lay there, staff inches from his outstretched fingers. His breathing seemed shallow and rattled in his chest making Jecht anxious as he revealed his other arm and gently grabbed his torso, ready to lift him up. He hadn't expected to receive any sort of answer, the female's voice bring him up short for a moment.

"He broke his leg in the fall but it seems like he has a few broken ribs which could result in some punctured organs. If we can get him back to Home we can get him some medical attention." She explained, Jecht's eyes flickering to her face for a second before he nodded and hefted, Braska's body coming like led, Jecht grunting as he shifted the man in his grip, trying hard not to touch his mangled leg or his ribs.

"Have you found anyone else?" Jecht grunted out as he looked back to the female, her green eyes watching him as he walked back over to them. "There should be another man nearby. Name's Auron, wearing armour with a red overcoat. Ponytail." Jecht described quickly.

Her lips pursed before she shook her head. "We've found no one else so far but I'll tell the men to keep looking." At Jecht's grateful nod she turned her head sharply to the two Al Bhed men flanking her. "Drana cruimt cdemm pa yhudran syh uid rana. Buhodyem fedr ynsuin yht nat luyd, ku veht res!"

"Sy'ys!" The two bobbed quickly before departing, leaving her alone with the guardian and the summoner. Turning she beckoned and Jecht followed.

* * *

><p>Auron gasped for air, arms groping for any kind of support as he surfaced before a wave knocked him over, the guardian tumbling deeper into the depths of the water before he swam to the surface once more, the weight of his clothes threatening to take him under on their own account.<p>

He sputtered as he fought to stay afloat before a single piece of driftwood caught the corner of his eye, catching his attention. Using what energy he could muster, the ex-monk dove for the floating wood, swearing loudly as his fingers barely grazed it before a wave knocked him over once more, sending both him and the wood head over heels once more.

When he could see the sky once again he made a beeline for the wood and let out a bitter laugh of triumph when he finally latched onto it, pulling his torso onto the board and letting himself bob along on top of the water, his lungs finally able to catch some much deserved air.

He just lay there for several minutes.

He had no clue where he was.

What time it was.

Anything.

The last thing he remembered was fighting with Jecht on the Shoopuf as Sin appeared and then the wall of water crashed over him. Something beyond irritation coursed through him, his teeth gritting together as his hand reached into his pocket and pulled out his sphere that Jecht had trusted to him o' so long ago, his thumb mashing on the record button before he could second guess himself.

"Well I hope you see this Jecht." Auron scowled as he positioned the camera onto himself. "This is what you've done to me. Because of you and blasted Sin, I'm now out swimming in the middle of nowhere." He snapped. As if to prove just how horrible his situation was he turned the sphere to show the scenery around him, the waves tumbling around him as he bobbed up and down with them. He would've continued on if he didn't see the incoming wave and shove the camera into his pocket, clutching the board for dear life as he became swept away once again, the piece of wood his only lifeline.

* * *

><p>Jecht was thankful when a large building began to make its presence known among all the sand and heat, the structure a welcome sight. Despite how tired he was beginning to feel, the heat sapping his strength, he picked up his pace. The still nameless woman guiding him also seemed to quicken her pace at the sight.<p>

The closer they got the more details Jecht could make out. For one, the building was a lot bigger then Jecht had first thought. Guards were stationed at the entrance of the building, perking up as they noticed their approaching forms.

"Lodi?" One man called out in confusion towards the woman before he gestured towards Jecht and Braska. "Fru yna drao?"

Lodi waved her hand in what Jecht suspected was impatience, though he couldn't be sure since he didn't know a lick of Al Bhed…well besides how to order a beer. "Drao'na fedr sa." She replied as they neared. The man who had spoken frowned, looking at them warily before he shrugged and punched a code into the padlock sitting behind him.

"What'd he say?" Jecht whispered to his guide as the doors in front of him grinded before churning open with a squelching noise. Lodi barely glanced back at him as she watched the doors.

"He asked who you were. I said you were with me. If anyone asks, just say that you're with Lodi. That should keep them off you." She said, finally turning her head back to look at him. Then she smiled in reassurance and Jecht actually felt a bit of relief enter him since waking up at the beach.

Maybe he could trust this woman. She seemed like the only sane one among this pack of gun wielding, foreign speaking people.

With Lodi's help Jecht was escorted to what he guessed was the medical ward. Beds with crisp clean sheets were all set up in rows and Al Bhed weaved through the aisle of beds, but they bore healing symbols, a patch etched onto their garments.

"Just set him down over here." Lodi instructed as she moved to one of the free beds. Jecht was carefully placing Braska down while Lodi began barking out orders, medics quick to oblige as they appeared next to the bed and looking Braska over, Jecht stepping aside to let them work.

"You should probably sit down yourself." Lodi supplied, gesturing to another bed.

"I feel fine." Jecht assured. She crossed her arms and stared him down, Jecht sighing before seating himself down on the mattress behind him. She nodded but before she could do anything else a small voice called out to her, little feet running towards her.

"Sus! E raynt oui fana pylg!"

A little girl skidded into view, instantly latching onto Lodi's waist in a hug. Blond hair and bright, swirled green eyes framed in a tanned face. Definitely her daughter, the resemblance was there. A few seconds later she was joined by a taller boy, his blond hair a different shade and spiked up.

"Rikku, Gippal, oui cruimth'd pa eh rana." She sighs as she patted her daughter's head before prying the girls arms away from her waist. She looks up at Jecht and quickly apologizes. "I'm sorry, this is my daughter Rikku and her friend Gippal."

Big green eyes turn on him, seeing him for the first time. And then Rikku startles him by speaking, Jecht having expected Lodi to be the only one to speak Spiran.

"Who're you?"

"He's got a sword! It looks wicked!" Gippal interrupts, rushing forward to grab the blade.

"Hey! Uh uh!" Jecht says quickly as he grabs his sword quickly and pulls it back from the boy's reach.

"Oh come on!" Gippal pouted as he danced to Jecht's other side.

"You two leave him alone." Lodi said sternly as she grabbed the back of their shirts and yanked them back earning a yelp from both of them. "We'll be right back, I have to inform my husband of your presence."

Jecht gave a grunt and the three took their leave.

* * *

><p>Auron didn't know how long he lay drifting in the water. It seemed like forever.<p>

It had been a long time since he had come across calm water, allowing him to actually climb up onto the chunk of wood that was saving his life and just drift, staring up at the sky. He dozed, coming in and out of sleep at all odd hours of the day.

His stomach complained from hunger and his body complained from the heat, a headache rocking his head and making him feel absolutely horrible. He could live the rest of his life and never see water again. He was thinking about the pilgrimage and how things had gone horribly wrong not even halfway through when a wave made his raft rise and fall.

He was just curious enough to turn his head, eyes searching for what caused the disturbance.

Disbelief roared inside him as a ship filled his vision. It was big and hulking, its metal plates blocking out the sun as it continued at a leisurely pace. In his haste to stand and grab the ships attention Auron nearly threw himself in the water, the plank of wood beneath him rocking dangerously as he practically flew to his feet.

"HEY! HEY! OVER HERE!" He yelled, flailing his arms like an excited toddler. "For the love of Yevon, someone see me!"

As if on queue the ship changed course and Auron could've wept if he was that kind of man as it headed towards him. With a loud woosh, a plank was suddenly dropped into the water before him and Auron didn't even second guess himself as he dove into the water and swam towards it.

* * *

><p><strong>Rao ra'c ymeja!<strong> – Hey he's alive!

**Kad ib** – Get up

**Lusa uh huf** – Come on now

**Drec uha'c ehzinat ujan rana!** – This one's injured over here!

**Drana cruimt cdemm pa yhudran syh uid rana. Buhodyem fedr ynsuin yht nat luyd, ku veht res!** – There should still be another man out there. Ponytail with armour and red coat, go find him!

**Fru yna drao?** – Who are they?

**Drao'na fedr sa** – They're with me

**Sus! E raynt oui fana pylg!-** Mom! I heard you were back!

**Oui cruimth'd pa eh rana**- You shouldn't be in here.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFX**

**Authoress Note: Sorry for the long delay. While I was working on this story I was also pumping out chapters for another story. Plus there was work and things just got busy. **

**Question for anyone willing to answer because I was too lazy to research and frankly can't remember. Is Nooj (from FFX-2) Al Bhed? I don't know why I think he is. I know Gippal is but is Nooj? Unless someone says no, for the sake of my story he is.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Path I've Chosen<strong>

**By: animeroxsmyorld**

**Chapter 7**

* * *

><p>Jecht didn't realize how much he truly needed to rest. He had been pulling along fine considering all that had happened in the span of 24 hours but as Lodi left him to go find her husband one of the medics seemed to grow curious about his presence as he simply sat and watched them tend to Braska. He was so focused on paying attention to their movements that he didn't notice her until she was beside him, patting his knees for his attention and scaring him spitless.<p>

Despite the multiple layers she bore and the mask that covered the bottom half of her face Jecht was able to tell that she was quite the old woman. Her skin was brown and rough as leather as she plodded over to him and motioned for him to lie down.

"No. I'm alright." Jecht responded as he waved her away, trying to keep his voice as polite as he could.

Her brow furrowed. "Oui muug dannepma. Oui cruimt mea tufh yht mad sa lralg oui." She snapped out, her voice cracking like only that of a senior's can as she jabbed at the bed strictly. Although he had no clue what she had said the tone and gesture was clear.

**Lie down.**

Any other day he would've openly argued with her despite the language barrier but at the moment he just didn't have the energy. He settled for muttering irritably under his breath and scowling to himself as he shuffled around and eventually laid down on the bed below him. He scowled at the ceiling then, intent on ignoring the old woman as she openly examined him, poking him in the side and talking to herself as he winced or grunted at her ministrations before suddenly she seemed to come to a decision.

Her hand suddenly slapped down firmly against his forehead startling him and making him yelp.

"What do y—"

"Shh!" She hushed him sternly causing him to blink. Huh. Apparently shushing someone was unanimous in every language.

And then he tingled. The sensation flowed from her hand, crawling through his head and down to his toes. It was cool before it suddenly warmed, the feeling warming every cell inside his body. He felt his muscles relax, turning to jelly as he sunk into the bed, his eyes feeling like weights as he struggled for consciousness.

"What did…you…do?" He whispered, exhaustion coating his words as his eyes closed, barely opening as he tried to peer at her tiny face.

"Sleep." She commanded, that one word so thick with her Al Bhed accent that he barely recognized it. But he couldn't ponder it for long before he felt himself drift.

* * *

><p>Braska awoke after 2 days. His eyes opened and his vision instantly filled with several unfamiliar faces. They all pulled away in alarm as if he had burned them before the place was blasted with voices. It took him several seconds to realize it was Al Bhed and several more to actual wrap his head around what they were actually saying, the second being the hardest since most of the voices were trying to talk at the same time becoming one jumbled mess.<p>

"Ra'c yfyga!"

"Dra cissuhan'c yfyga!"

"Cusauha kad Lodi!"

"Cid! Cusauha kad Cid!"

"Would you all SHUT YOUR YAPPERS?!" A male voice roared in Spiran, stunning all the raving Al Bheds into silence. Braska was only mildly surprised to find that the voice belonged to Jecht as the summoner shifted in his bed to view the blitzer glaring darkly at all the occupants. From his tousled appearance and the sheets drawn around him Braska came to the conclusion that Jecht had received quite the rude awakening. And from what little Braska knew of the man from their travels it was easy to guess that he wasn't a morning person, even in his best moments.

The sight of the guardian made Braska relax, the brunette summoner easing himself into a sitting position as the room hummed with whispered words now. One of the surrounding medics in the room whispered something to another and the medic disappeared out the room, the door sliding shut behind her.

"Jecht, where are we?" Braska asked his disgruntled friend as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. He felt absolutely ravenous but besides that he felt completely rejuvenated. He was sure he could take a stab at where they were judging by all the Al Bheds but it was better to have some actual clarification before he started making actual assumptions. As his words floated over to the shorter man it was like a switch was flipped and eyes suddenly snapped to him, Jecht straightening up on his elbows like lightning and whipping around to face him.

He looked absolutely stunned, mouth partly open before his face transformed, first brightening before going absolutely dark.

"You! You've got a lot o' nerve!" The guardian roared as he flung himself from his bed, landing on his feet with a solid thump. Braska blinked, surprised.

"I do?" He asked, eyebrows rising in silent confusion.

"Scarin' everyone like that! Who the hell stays comatose for two bloody days? For Yevon's sake!" Jecht continued as he made his way towards Braska's bed, the look on his face perfectly horrid as he neared but simply plopped himself down on the edge of the bed and glared murderously at the wall. At his words Braska felt his confusion disappear.

Ah. It was concern converted to anger for lack of an outlet.

Braska felt a small smile pull at his lips as he shifted up straighter in his bed, sitting perfectly upright now. He waited a few more minutes, watching as the blitzer continued to fume angrily towards the wall before he spoke.

"I apologize. I'll try not to repeat it in the future."

Jecht's eyes flickered to him, lingering for a moment before his lip twitched upward. Then he snorted and turned away.

"Feh." Was the response he received. If he was about to get anything more he would never know because at that moment a small elderly woman decided to pick that moment to run up to Jecht, a hand slapping him on the arm rather loudly.

"Fryd yna oui tuehk ib? Oui cruimt pa cmaabehk!" She yelled before she pointed back at the bed Jecht had previously flung himself out of. Her voice was ringing with authority and Jecht looked perfectly bewildered. Braska couldn't help the amusement that crossed his features as she smacked his arm again and gestured towards the bed.

"She wants you to go back to sleep." Braska supplied to his confused friend.

"I already slept!" Jecht argued back. He scowled down at the old woman, feeling completely rejuvenated now that he had slept. "I. Feel. Fine." He annunciated slowly.

"Mayja dra vunaekhanc ymuha Nally." A male voice called out, the woman flinching before turning to look at the doorway. Braska felt himself tense, oblivious as the woman called something back before walking away, mumbling under her breath. His gaze stayed locked on the man filling the doorway passing off instructions as he made his way over towards them.

Then his swirled eyes slid over and met Braska's and he stopped, planting his feet firmly on the ground.

Silence. That was all that passed between them for several moments before his eyes narrowed and the bald man before him spoke.

"Braska." It felt like an accusation.

"…Cid." An apology.

Cid looked at him quietly for several moments before he let out a low huff and crossed his arms over his chest. "I heard you became a summoner again." He stated, his tone displeased. Braska grasped at the blankets in front of him, already knowing the other question stirring in Cid's mind and preparing to tumble out. If the Al Bhed before him asked it, Braska wasn't sure he could voice his reasons properly, even trying to say his reasoning out loud to himself was hard enough.

"I did." The summoner answered. His voice sounded small to his own ears.

Jecht looked between the two, the tension between them obvious to even him and making him eye the bald man before him warily. What about him had Braska so out of sorts? They obviously knew each other, but how? Was there some kind of danger here that he should be aware of? He couldn't help shuffling around as he kept his senses glued to the slightly shorter man.

Cid's eyes narrowed further and he leaned forward, Jecht moving a bit closer to Braska as he did so, and asked the question Braska was dreading.

"Why?"

* * *

><p>When Auron had first climbed upon the ship he was startled by the crew's attire. It took his exhausted, heat ladled brain several moments to recognize the people as Al Bhed. The process was sped up when they started speaking to him, the language so very obviously different from his own.<p>

He cursed himself for not learning a lick of the language when he had the chance. Even from Braska when they were travelling. It seemed his arrival on the ship caused quite the commotion. He couldn't understand what they were saying but from the multiple gestures they made while they talked and pointed at him it seemed that at least a good handful of the crew wanted to just throw him back.

That did little to ease him.

Thankfully it seemed the man they kept referring these actions to seemed solid in his response in shooting them down, Auron could tell it was a no by the thin lips and the firm shake of the head. When pressed he made a sweeping gesture and went off in a rant.

Thankfully that man, Auron called him Captain for he surely had to be, seemed to have more people on his side and eventually the commotion fell away to irritated mutterings.

"They don't hate you." A young voice said pulling Auron away from the meal of slop that Captain had handed to him after witnessing Auron lose his stomach over the side of the boat. All the sun he was getting was beginning to get to be too much for him and he had been dragged into a very small corner of the cabin with a bucket and a small bundle of blankets. Every now and then one of the crew members would come in and ask him something but since he didn't know how to respond he'd only shake his head and they'd leave.

"What?" He choked out as he forced himself to swallow the food in his throat. The slop was tasteless and on more than one occasion, didn't sit well with his stomach. One of two reasons he needed the bucket in his room.

A young teenager filled the doorway of his very tiny cabin, brown hair pulled up in a ponytail of dreadlocks as he looked at Auron, a mop in one hand. Auron was quick to get over the small shock that the boy had actually spoke and made sense before speaking again.

"What do you mean?"

The teen rolled his eyes slightly but leaned against the doorway. "Those men arguing with Brutis. They don't hate you. They simply believe that an Al Bhed ship should hold Al Bhed passengers. No foreigners be they Ronso, Guado...you. It's a bit of loyalty that can get a bit…extreme." He explained, watching as the warrior slowly processed the information. Understanding seemed to slowly fill the ex-monks eyes and he straightened in his sitting position atop his few blankets.

"And the rest of the crew? The ones with Brutis?"

The teen gave a simple shrug as he moved away from the door. "A persons a person. We can't just let you die at sea."

Auron found himself staring at his slop, head bobbing at the boy's words before footsteps echoed in the room. He looked up in time to see the boy leaving, his ponytail just dipping out of sight when Auron called out quickly.

"Wait!"

The boy peered back in, disinterest on his face.

"If you er—"

"Nooj." The boy supplied.

Auron nodded. "If you could thank Brutis for me, and maybe ask him where we're headed." If he could get his bearings about him maybe he could find some information on Braska and Jecht. This small bout had temporarily driven the motion of being a guardian from his mind but once he reached land he would be back on full duty.

Nooj looked at him as if he had just asked what color water was before giving a snort that could've been mistaken for a laugh as he disappeared from sight, but not before he replied, "We're going home."

* * *

><p>"I—"<p>

"I mean you were already a summoner once." Cid continued as he straightened and began walking, pacing in front of the end of Braska's bed. Each footstep seemed to echo through the room, even more so as people seemed to trickle out of the room until it was just the three of them, minus the sleeping patients.

"I—" Braska tried once more.

"But you strayed. You got married and started a family. You let others have a chance to take up the summoner's path." Cid started.

"Cid—"

"But now you want to be a summoner again? Is it duty?"

"N—"

"Unfinished business?"

"N—"

"Or are you selfish? You don't care about your family?"

"**NO!"** Braska yelled out, anger flushing him at Cid's last accusation. "I love my family!"

Jecht could feel the atmosphere in the room drop but Cid was either oblivious or just one tough hard ass as his brow flattened and he met Braska's glare. "Then why are you here?"

"I became a summoner. Someone has to defeat Sin. I'm not doing it to avenge my wife. I'm not doing it because I gave up the first time. No, gave up is the wrong word. I fell in love and found a life worth living. But how can I live that life knowing that at any moment anything worth cherishing can be taken away in a heartbeat? That Sin can simply appear and destroy everything precious to me and I had a chance to put an end to it and its destruction? To bring a calm? I am here to ensure that my daughter can live. I entrusted Yuna to the temple in Bevelle." Braska replied, fire seeming to fill him as he spoke.

Silence enveloped the room for several moments. Cid's face was blank before he seemed to calm and seated himself on the edge of Braska's bed, his gaze far off.

"And not to me?" Cid asked after a moment. "I am her uncle."

He sounded wistful and sad.

Braska's fire was gone and he receded back into the pillow behind him. "You are also miles away in Bikanel desert." He countered. The bald man's shoulders seemed to droop and nothing was said until he picked himself off the bed and stood, back facing towards the two men.

"I'll get Lodi to come see how you're faring."

* * *

><p>For the rest of the trip Auron's go to guy was Nooj. It help tremendously that he could speak Spiran. Brutis seemed to pick up on his dependence on the boy and before long Nooj was practically his captor for he felt like he was captive upon the ship. He had been ill inside the cabin for at least the few days it took them to navigate through the sea and turn back towards Bikanel desert.<p>

And now they were on land and the heat and sand were irritating him beyond belief.

"It's not far." Nooj assured as he saw the sour look on the guardians face. The ship had pulled to the edge of the island but Home was located in the middle of all these fiend ridden dunes. The crew had to ride sand hovers which could seat at least 3 people, with of course the spoils of whatever they had found while out at sea.

"Forgive me if I don't believe you." Auron replied as he watched the sand swirl as the crewmates began to scurry up onto the awaiting hovers. Nooj's answer was a smile as he climbed onto a hover himself, forcing Auron to do the same for fear of losing his translator. Thankfully for Auron, like Nooj had promised, the journey to Home really wasn't far with the help of the hovers.

They swerved around several fiends and in no time the large building that was a home to any and all Al Bhed's made its appearance. Everything seemed to be going smoothly and it was only when they made to get off the hovers near the front of the building that things took a small turn.

A guard blinked before squinting and tilting his head, examining Auron as he passed some of the cargo over to Nooj. His face suddenly lit up and before Auron could understand what was happening the guard was shouting back to another guard and pointing.

"Ed'c oui! Damm Lodi E vuiht dra seccehk vunaehkan cra fyc muugehk vun!" He shouted and before Auron could really gather his bearings three guards had surrounded him and were rushing him inside Home. Lodi had never bothered to mention to the men why they were to be on the look-out for Auron so as far as they knew, he was someone of high importance which was why they were quick to whisk him away. Auron was too bewildered to speak and could only catch snippets of conversations as he was dragged through several corridors and down several flights of stairs.

The men turn suddenly and went through a wide door that slid open at their presence, a handful of people filling it's space.

"Lodi!" The three cried out in unison. Apparently this was their destination. All eyes turned to look at the sudden intruders and Auron physically started at the familiar faces.

"…Auron?"

Braska was blinking in confusion, having long ago been confused by the absence of his other guardian while Jecht let a large smirk cross his face.

"Auron! Man! Where have you been?!" The blitzer declared as he drew the stunned warrior into a one-armed hug. Lodi and Cid ignored the three as they listened to the guards, Al Bhed filling the silence as Auron just gaped mutely at his companions before the reality of the situation hit him.

And the memories of how everything happened.

His face darkened and his eyes lit like fire as he glared fiercely at Jecht.

"I should kill you!" He roared as he lunged towards the other man.

* * *

><p><strong>Oui muug dannepma. Oui cruimt mea tufh yht mad sa lralg oui.<strong> - You look terrible. You should lie down and let me check you.

**Ra'c yfyga** – He's awake

**Dra cissuhan'c yfyga** – The summoner's awake

**Cusauha kad** – Someone get (Lodi/Cid)

**Fryd yna oui tuehk ib? Oui cruimt pa cmaabehk!** – What are you doing up? You should be sleeping!

**Mayja dra vunaekhanc ymuha** **Nally**– Leave the foreigners alone (Nally)

**Ed'c oui! Damm Lodi E vuiht dra seccehk vunaehkan cra fyc muugehk vun**! – It's you! Tell (Lodi) I found the missing foreigner!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFX**

**Authoress Note: I know Cid's a nice guy but I also believe that he gets irritated easily. Thus why he seems so cranky all the time.**

**P.S. My wireless connection on my computer is down. The antenna thing broke and while trying to fix it, well…it broke more. So my chapters may be a little longer in getting out just seeing on when I can get on the internet. **

**Wish me luck!**

* * *

><p><strong>The Path I've Chosen<strong>

**By: animeroxsmyorld**

**Chapter 8**

* * *

><p>They stayed in Bikanel for an extra two days to make sure that all of their injuries were gone, even the new ones that were sustained in the quick tumble that occurred when Jecht and Auron were reunited. That little event was broken up after a few minutes when Cid decided that fighting inside the walls of Home wasn't tolerated and he and Braska quickly split up the tussle.<p>

But that wasn't before both guardians left the other with various bruises on their faces.

"We need to get back to the main land as soon as possible." Braska explained as he walked after Cid down the halls of Home, Al Bheds passing by and letting out hushed whispers as they looked at the foreigners. "This has already been a long enough delay in the pilgrimage."

"You say that but just how am I supposed to get you all the way back? Like you said, I'm in the middle of the damn desert." Cid replied irritably, frowning as he stopped at the side to make a quick adjustment to the wiring in the wall before closing the panel and continuing on his walk.

There was a moment of silence before Auron spoke up from where he was near the back.

"What about the ships? We could take the sand hovers to the edge of the desert and one of the ships can simply take us ashore."

Cid's face flattened. "The ships each have their own course, none of which pass land. The only ship that does is the one that goes to Luca for the annual blitzball tournament."

Jecht literally stumbled to a stop, faltering into Braska's back before righting himself and looking up with astonishment. "Did you say blitzball tournament in Luca?!" He yelped, eyes wide.

"You're not going to Luca." Cid stated firmly. "That would require arranging the ships to make a massive detour and I'm not even sure the crew will be willing to take you aboard."

"Well why the hell not?" Jecht asked as he crossed his arms, temper suddenly flaring at the denied access to blitzball.

"Cid, you practically built Home. You have to hold some say over the ship and their crew." Braska started, just a hint of pleading in his voice. "Would there be any harm in talking to them?"

Cid stared at him before a long, suffering sigh escaped him and he ran a hand down his bald head. "They don't listen to me." He confessed. "I can try and command them all I want and while they're here they'll smile and nod but once they're out on the water, it's all up to them. They have their own set of rules out there."

"What the hell? That seems like a form of mutiny." Jecht declared with a frown.

"Is there no other way out of here?" Braska asked and Cid shook his head.

"We've been trying for the past few years to make an airship in case of immediate evacuations but it's still under construction. Most of the programming needs to be done and one of the wings still needs to be attached." Cid explained. The air was practically filled with the sound of gears churning in their heads before Auron spoke up once more.

"If we could convince a captain ourselves to take us aboard a ship, could we go then?"

Cid snorted.

"I'm not holding you prisoner."

* * *

><p>There was a very obvious change of atmosphere when the trio discovered the part of Home that was sectioned specifically for the various crew members of the six ships that belonged to the Al Bhed. The rest of the building had a more orderly nature to it, if the children running about here and there were to be disregarded. Everyone was always running about with a job to do or patrolling to keep on watch for any fiends.<p>

If it was any different in the residential section located in the heart of Home the three never knew for they never got to see it.

The moment the large bay doors slid open booming laughter filled the air. Various others echoed it as cries of joy rang out and Auron blinked to let himself adjust to the scene. While many of the men were indeed working, loading up the now empty sand hovers with new provisions, a large group of men had taken two large tables and pushed them together in the center of the room.

And from what he could see a rather illegal game of cards was taking place as munny got tossed back and forth among the table with rather savage grins and hoots of laughter.

They continued to watch the scene for a moment longer, the noise rising and falling as cards came and went on the table before a grin stretched out on Jecht's face, his eyes never leaving the game. "Now this is more like it." He stated before clapping Auron on the shoulder. "Why didn't you introduce me to these people before?" He questioned.

"They were never like this before." Auron replied. The whole time on the ship they had mostly ignored him, or tried to get him thrown overboard.

"Jecht please try to remember why we came here." Braska reminded politely as he saw the blitzer a little too eagerly rushing down the steps. Jecht only waved back to show he had heard and Braska shook his head. He turned and saw Auron still standing where he was before, eyes roaming through the crowd.

"Auron? What are you doing?"

Auron blinked, coming back to himself. "Sorry Lord Braska, I was simply looking for someone." The warrior explained.

"The crew you wish to speak to?" Braska asked as Auron began to walk down the steps, Braska falling in step beside him. Auron gave a grunt and a nod. Truthfully he had been wondering if this was really a good idea while he was watching the crew members drink and gamble. Could he trust these people with safe passage?

He would have to.

Brutis, the captain of the ship Auron had been on, was one of the loudest men at the tables. His hand was full of cards and a rather large, sharp toothed smile fit his face as he hooted with booming laughter. It was an unsettling sight when compared to how stern faced and serious he had been on the ship. Jecht was eagerly edging his way in on the tables despite knowing very little of the language, and Auron was cautiously approaching. He was wracking his brain for ways to start the conversation with the captain. Did Brutis even speak Spiran? Would he even want to help Auron out now that Auron was no longer a guest on the ship?

"Auron."

Both Braska and Auron paused halfway to the table, Auron blinking in surprise before whirling about to try and find the owner of the voice. Nooj was looking back at him, a small crate in his arms and a raised brow. Auron felt his body relax in recognition.

"Nooj." He replied kindly to the boy. The boy only nodded his head, a gesture showing that proper pleasantries were exchanged, before confusion coloured his face.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he shifted the crate in his arms. As Auron opened his mouth, preparing to explain the situation to the child who had helped him get through his time on the Al Bhed ship, realization struck him. He simply had to talk to Nooj and the boy would pass word around to the other captains. They would probably be more inclined to listen to him, one of their own, than to listen to three foreigners.

A genuine smile lit Auron's face.

He explained their situation quickly to the boy who listened quietly before he blinked once. "I'll just go ask Brutis." Nooj said simply. "He's my dad."

Auron felt dumbstruck as he watched the boy walk away without another word. The reason being that Brutis and Nooj looked nothing alike. Brutis looked like a small mountain, barrel chested with a thick neck and a small square head covered in a thick gold beard. Nooj was thin and rather lanky with a sharp face and brown hair.

Braska hummed in amusement as he too watched the boy leave. "I was wondering what was off. I didn't catch it right away."

"What? What is it?" Auron asked, his confusion growing as his brain still tried to wrap his head around the Brutis, Nooj relation.

Braska glanced at him, a knowing smile on his face. "He's not Al Bhed." He answered before his gaze went back to watching the boy make his way into the crowd seamlessly as if he had been there all along. "He's probably an orphan. He doesn't have the Al Bhed traits but he holds himself just like them and his accent is impeccable." Braska finished as he saw small eyes turn and regard them from among the heads of the other men crowded around the table.

Lips moved, whispers no doubt, before the man known as Brutis emerged from the crowd.

"Here he comes." Auron said as he watched the captain lumber towards them.

"I'll fetch Jetch." Braska supplied before slipping away soundlessly, leaving his warrior guardian alone. Auron suddenly felt very unsure of himself, and despite the various other people crowding the room, he felt very alone.

It was only a few more steps before Brutis was before him, Nooj a step or two behind his father. Brutis looked him over and narrowed his eyes.

"Where others?" He asked. His voice was thickly accented and his words choppy but Auron was happy at least that the man knew enough Spiran to communicate and he wouldn't have to be relying on Nooj to translate the whole time.

In response Auron simply gestured to the table the man had previously come from to reveal Braska dragging Jecht away from the crowd of people. Despite the shirtless man's lack of knowledge of the language he had somehow managed to be dealt a hand of cards and Braska was firmly, but kindly, setting them back onto the table and ushering the blitzer away. Brutis picked them out easily and gave a single nod.

He waited for the other two to reach them, Jecht flinching in surprise at the size of the man. Auron couldn't blame him. Brutis was quite the tiny giant.

"Where go?" Brutis asked as he folded his arms and regarded them once again. Braska frowned a moment in thought, thinking about the path of the pilgrimage in his head.

"If Sin washed us away while we were on the Moonflow…" Auron thought out loud as he scrambled his own memories for how the path went.

"Then Djose. That would be the next temple." Braska nodded.

"I wanna go to Luca!" Jecht interjected suddenly and Auron felt a sigh leave his lips before he turned to address the overgrown child.

"We can't go to Luca. That's too far from the nearest temple. Besides Cid said we couldn't go." Auron explained simply. Jecht scowled glumly. Brutis was still watching them expectantly, brow flat. Auron turned to the sailor, ignoring Jecht's dark mood. "Djose. We need to get to Djose."

The giant of a man turned and made a motion to Nooj. The boy apparently wasn't surprised by whatever was commanded of him and reached into a pocket in his pants, pulling out a rather folded and worn piece of paper. Everyone recognized it instantly as the sailor began unfolding it, mouth muttering silent words as his eyes roamed over the small print.

It was a map.

He found Djose quick but he frowned.

"On other side of land." He informed as he jabbed at the lettering with his finger and turned the map towards them to see. "I drop off here and you walk." He continued as he pointed to the side of the land that was closest to Bikanel desert. Obviously their route didn't extend to the other side of the land mass. The three looked at each other before Braska frowned.

"It gets us to land." He admitted to the other two.

"But how will we get over to Djose?" Auron pointed out as he too pointed at the map, his finger instead colliding with the dot that labelled the desired temple. "If we simply walk that it could take weeks!"

"Come now Auron. I'm sure we could find some travelers willing to help us along." Braska assured. "Travelling shows, chocobos, those are always in abundance."

"In the calm lands. Not over by the high road." Auron argued. "We'll be mauled by fiends!"

"I don't see the problem. We wanted them to take us to land and he's willing to take us to land." Jecht injected with a single shoulder shrug. Braska nods in agreement.

"He's right."

"What about time?!" Auron cried, fearing he may be a single voice of reason.

"Auron, don't worry. I fear Sin will still be around when I get to the temple. And if it's not then we have need to celebrate for the high summoner that has brought the calm." Braska says as he turns to the monk and smiles, laying a hand on his shoulder to calm him. Auron slowly blinks before lowering his gaze and nodding.

"I understand."

Brutis watches the exchange, confusion on his face. He may know enough of the language to converse but they were talking too fast for him to follow. His eyes land on Nooj and the boy understands his father's confusion instantly.

"They'll come." He says simply.

The captains face turns to them once more and his face cracks away to reveal a sharp, almost evil smile. "You come, you work."

* * *

><p>"Doesn't he have men to do this?" Jecht complains as he wipes his mop lazily across the floor of the cabin. Auron regards his work with a reproachful eye.<p>

"_We're_ the men he has to do this." He reminds before his gaze turns bitter as he continues to watch Jecht barely touch his mop to the floor, the man's gaze gone as he lets the water slither across the floor like an animal. "And maybe if you did a better job of it we wouldn't be asked to do it over and over again."

Jecht looks down as Auron gestures to his mop and bucket and groans loudly, flinging said mop away. "I can't help it!" He wails. "I'm a man of the water! It's in my blood! I feel it in my bones! I can't be cooped up in here while we're at sea! This is going to drive me crazy!" He suddenly throws himself against the door, throwing it open and shoves his head into the hall facing the crew.

"YOU HEAR THAT?! CRAZY!"

"JECHT!" Auron yells in both embarrassment and anger as he yanks the man back into the room and slams the door shut. "What the hells the matter with you? Stop that!"

"I told you, I'm going crazy!" The blitzer explains, throwing his hands into the air.

"Jecht, while we're aboard the ship we have to do what Brutis tells us. He's the captain and in charge. I'm sure once we finish our tasks you can go onto the deck." Braska cuts in from where he stands on his side of the room. It's a fairly large ship and the crew's cabin holds all the beds for the shipmates, which means they require quite a large bit of space. They divided the room into three and let each other clean the room that way.

Jecht's section wasn't faring that well.

Jecht stands and scowls for several minutes but says nothing. Auron sends him curios glances once or twice but the blitzer still doesn't move or make any motion to continue to clean so Braska and Auron ignore him and continue on with their own section.

Fifteen minutes pass in complete silence before Jecht expodes.

"Screw this! Screw him! I need to see some water before I lose my mind!"

"Wait! Jecht!" Braska calls out but the brunette is already barreling out the door, disappearing quickly as he sprints with all his might.

"…should we go after him my lord?" Auron asks carefully. He almost wants to go just to see what Brutis' reaction will be. And to see whether Jecht will go charging onto the deck like a raving dog or actually calm down once he's out there and act like a normal person of society again.

Braska just sighs and continues his task. "For once no. Let him deal with his actions on his own for once and see where they land him."

Auron shrugs and turns his gaze away from the appealing open door. "As you wish."

* * *

><p>"This is worse! Let me go back to cleaning!"<p>

"What's the matter Jecht? I thought you were a man of the sea? Needed to see water or else you'd go crazy?" Auron asks with a smile as he helps the crew move some boxes across the deck. Apparently Jecht had explained his situation rather vividly to Brutis and Brutis had decided to position Jecht in the crows nest with no leave to come down. Any food he might get was tossed up to him.

"Shut up Auron!"

The ex-monk laughed as he hauled the box away. And that was how things were until they reached land two days later.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own FFX**

**AN: Sorry for the delay. Know that I have not given up on this story. My only excuse is that life happens. **

**The Path I've Chosen**

**By: animeroxsmyworld**

**Chapter 9**

* * *

><p>Although the short sea voyage was a lot more pleasant than before, Auron couldn't say they left with warm embraces and well wishes from the crew. If anything only Nooj and Brutis acknowledged their departure, and even that in itself was short. After helping Jecht down from the crow's nest, in which lots of cussing from the blitzer had arisen, they had met Nooj who had helped them get off the ship.<p>

"Thank you Nooj." Braska said as the boy lowered a small boat for them. The lad only shook his head.

"It's really no problem. Besides it's really my father you should thank. If he didn't want you on this ship, you never would've been on it." He stated as the boat landed in the water with a reassuring splash before he nodded his head towards the deck.

A quick glance showed Brutis watching the proceedings between the trio and his adopted son. He gave a grunt and a single nod before turning his eyes away.

"Then thank your father for us." Braska amended as Jecht began throwing what little of their belongings overboard and into the small boat. Braska then bent himself forward as his arms came up in silent prayer, Jecht's eyes quickly snapping up at the blitzball sign of luck.

Nooj looked startled, as if he didn't know what to make of the gesture.

Slowly, as if unfreezing, a small smile came on his face as he awkwardly copied the gesture.

When he straightened all three men were throwing themselves off the ship and landing rather roughly in the boat below and heading towards land.

* * *

><p>It's not that Auron hated when he was right, it's that he hated when he was right about matters like this.<p>

"I told you that going off road would be riddled with fiends!" He exclaimed rather breathlessly from where he was pinned to the ground, jaws snapping inches from his face as he continued to battle for space as the fiend tried to press forward. The large creature stood over top of him, one foot pinning him rather effectively but his katana was pushed rather deeply into the creature's throat, holding off his imminent death.

When a body tackled into the creature's side he didn't question it and quickly rolled away, spitting out a mouthful of blood and watching as Jecht stood over the beast and proceeded to continuously stab it in the neck, the creature letting out a shrieking wail before disappearing into a mixture of lights, the guardians falling into breathless heaps now that the threat was gone.

"We…are miles…from any fucking…road….dipshit." Jecht swore as he walked around the small clearing, trying to regain his breath. The fiends had attacked in two but Jecht had fought rather recklessly and had received what looked like a network of claw marks down his back and a split cheek, making blood trickle down his face, down his neck and down his chest.

"I know!" Auron stressed as he staggered to his feet. "Thus why…we have to…stick together!" He hissed. They had set up camp but it had been awhile since Jecht had been able to get in any training with Auron. Braska didn't see the problem with it so long as they remained nearby but Jecht had had other plans in mind and had traveled too far for comfort. Braska was left unguarded in a land full of fiends while Jecht was getting himself killed.

"Camps not even that far." Jecht said as he turned and pointed in the general direction of where they had left the summoner. Auron followed his line of vision. All he could see was trees and darkness.

"How can you even be sure?" He asked shrewdly to which the blitzer snorted.

"My memory's great. I remember every single turn we took." He boasted.

"Shoopuf shit." Auron spat earning a dark glare.

"50 munny." Jecht replied as he thrust his hand out just inches away from Auron's face, his fingers wiggling tauntingly in the other man's line of sight. Auron frowned and glared at the other man's scowling face. A wicked smirk was painted on Jecht's lips and something about it just made Auron's skin itch.

"Fine."

Their hands shook and Jecht's scowl disappeared and a broad smile replaced it.

With no other prompting needed, Jecht took off into the foliage, Auron following after him. Despite the battle they had just undergone the blitzer was insanely agile in weaving his way through the trees. He was bounding around with such certainty that Auron was positive that he had absolutely no clue where on Spira he was headed and was just too stubborn to admit it.

But he said nothing.

He would play Jecht's stupid game and win 50 munny in the process when Jecht eventually crumbled under his own stubbornness.

Minutes were passing and Jecht was growing farther and farther away until suddenly he let out a cry and shot out into the trees. Auron blinked in bewilderment as he stared at where the other guardian had been.

"Jecht?" He asked the air and received no answer. He frowned and picked up his pace. As he neared the spot where Jecht disappeared he squinted as a faint glow began to emit from the trees. And then disbelief took over him as recognition hit him.

"He did not…" He muttered before practically sprinting and emerging a second later into their campsite, the fire letting of a friendly glow as Braska fed it more wood. Jecht was standing at the ready, a knowingly smug smirk on his face.

"Well look what I found."

The smugness practically dripped from his voice. He extended his hand and Auron felt his face go sour as he realized what the blitzer wanted.

"50 munny please." He grinned. He still sounded so smug.

Auron glared darkly as he pulled the munny out. "Fucking knave bastard." He cursed as he handed it over. Jecht didn't even insult him back, only smirked wider and tucked the munny away.

"I thought you two were supposed to be training nearby." Braska admonished from where he sat by the fire, his face impassive but his voice stern. Both guardians faltered slightly.

"Jecht decided he wanted to frolic in the bushes." Auron replied as he shot Jecht a face and lowered himself down by the fire.

"Hey!" Jecht cried with a scowl of his own. Auron returned it.

Braska shook his head. "There are plenty of fiends out there. Vicious ones lurk the deeper in you go. You shouldn't be so eager to head off Jecht." He warned before he rose, eyeing Jecht's rather bloodied state. He clicked his tongue in disapproval but motioned for the other man to come forward, Jecht sitting before the summoner and already gritting his teeth against the healing spell that Braska was weaving over his skin.

"Well it's real hard to…gah!...learn fightin' if I…ugh!...don't ever get to kill anything." Jecht pointed out as he felt his skin stitch together and burn away the dead cells.

"That's called killing not fighting." Auron spoke up from where he was looking over his own wounds, his much less severe than the blitzers. "There is a difference."

Jecht rolled his eyes and grumbled to himself.

"We need to save our strength." Braska said as he resumed his place around the fire. "We need to get through as much as these woods as we can tomorrow. We don't know how long it will take for us to reach the main road. It could be weeks. That's a lot of forest we need to cover."

"You worry too much Braska." Jecht snorted as he made the ground below him as comfortable as he could, grounding at the dirt with his palms to try and soften it. "We'll be fine. So we have to rough it for a little while, we'll survive. It's cake."

There was a pause of silence which Auron quickly broke.

"I don't know whether you're optimistic or just ignorant."

* * *

><p>It was four days and just a smidge into the fifth day until they ran into anything resembling civilization.<p>

"Pleasch comesh back! Pleasch!"

The distinct hypello accent punctuated the air followed by the loud eruption of noise that could only be breaking branches and falling rocks. It was too close and too out of the norm for the trio to not go and investigate. After days of only each other and numerous fiends to keep them company, a wayward Hypello was a wondrous sight.

They beat through several more rows of trees and eventually found the source of the noise. A big yellow bird, all fixed up with a saddle and reigns, was running around like a maniac in the bottom of a ravine.

"A chocobo!" Jecht exclaimed in excitement, his face lighting up. "Damn! I love those big ass yellow birds!"

"What's one doing out here?" Auron asked as a brow raised as he watched the bird continue to race in circles. It was definitely placing a track in the ground as it trampled over several bushes. "This isn't anywhere near their usual spots."

"I think he's the reason." Braska replied before pointing over the Hypello they had heard earlier, the blue creature descending into the ravine and from his hand gestures, obviously trying to calm the giant bird down.

"A show on the road perhaps?" Auron suggested to the summoner who simply shrugged. Jecht was already descending down the ravine, rocks praying out underneath his feet. The other two followed his lead and were soon upon the sad Hypello who wasn't succeeding in trying to calm the large bird.

"Auron you take that side, I'll take this side." Jecht instructed as he gestured towards the circular track the chocobo was making, the blitzer already placing himself squarely in the line of fire. "Braska you be ready at the tip to catch it if it slips by."

"Pleasch! Don'tch hurtch him! I needch him!" The Hypello pleaded at their arrival.

"Relax blue, we're here to help ya." Jecht dismissed with a wave. They barely had times to finish getting into positions before the ground thundered and the yellow monstrosity came barreling towards them. Jecht's grin took on a manic look and he all but threw himself at the creature, the large bird letting out a squawk of fear and surprise and hurtling itself to the side, Jecht falling to the side with only a clump of yellow feathers to show any accomplishment.

Now realizing that there were possible threats in his way the bird went into a screeching tornado of unpredictability as it all but tore headlong towards Braska, the summoner just barely able to deflect the bird away with a shield spell to stop it trampling on him.

"Auron! It's heading your way!" Braska warned as he weaved to avoid a last minute kick of panic from the bird. Jecht's sudden approach must've really startled it. Auron squared himself, rolling his shoulders back before stabbing his katana into the ground. As the bird began to near the monk swung the sword into a wide arc towards it, wind gusting from the movement and barreling into the creature.

The chocobo went reeling as it stumbled backwards from the force before falling onto its back, legs kicking uselessly in the air. It continued like this for several moments before it seemed to finally tire out and just lie there.

"Ah schank you! Schank you!" The hypello cried as he made his way towards the large bird and began making guttural soothing sounds as he helped stand it upright, keeping a firm grip on the reigns as he did so.

"So what are you two doing this far off the road?" Auron asked as he sheathed his katana and watched as Jecht came bounding over to pet the chocobo, who, now that he was completely exhausted, seemed more than happy to oblige.

"We're a partch of a schow. We're headching towards the calm landsch." The blue man replied. "Butch there are banditsch on the roadsch and Tilla got scaredch and ran."

"Bandits?" Braska asked. "Is everyone else alright?"

"Oh yesh. Everyone ish fine. They took our munnysh and left butch I had to go findch Tilla."

"Well let us escort you back to the road." Braska offered as he gestured to the tangle of trees that surrounded them. "There are terrible fiends out here and we would hate for your show to go without munny _and_ a ride."

At the eager look in the Hypello's eyes Braska nodded his head to the foliage once again. "Do you remember the way?"

"Oh yeash!" He cried, relief flooding his voice and he set out, threading his way back up the ravine.

"I think we've found our ride." Auron said simply as he set off after him. Within hours of direction from the Hypello who by then had introduced himself as 'Lek', they happened upon his show. The show consisted of a group of 4 people, 1 Hypello (Lek), 2 Guados and 1 Ronso. They had another chocobo waiting with them, still strapped in its harness, but the size of the cart was too much to be pulled by one lone bird.

They practically glowed with excitement at the familiar figures as Lek waved happily at them, the two chocobos squawking at each other in recognition.

"Lek! You're back!" A woman declared as she sprang to her feet, the others stirring into motion from where they were seated around a makeshift fire pit.

"Thought would take two days." The Ronso grunted as he too approached. "Bird run far."

Lek shook his head enthusiastically as he held out Tilla's reigns, the woman from before grabbing them and leading the big bird back towards the cart. "Thesech men helpch me. If notch then it would'ch havch taken me hoursch." He explained as he gestured to the trio behind him.

The Ronso passed his gaze over to them before he gave simple nod. A thin willowy man took that moment to enter the conversation and the Ronso took the opportunity to slip away and resume his spot by the fire.

"What you did was mighty kind and we owe you dearly." The man greeted as he offered his hand forward, Braska barely hesitating before shaking it.

"We were heading the same way, didn't make any sense not to help out." Braska supplied.

The man nodded and then frowned. "Any other time we would offer up some payment for your kindness but—"

"You were attacked by bandits. Or so Lek informed us."

There was a grim nod and the man shifted his weight. "So if there was any other way that we could repay you, though in times like these wh—"

"Actually," Auron cut in quickly, stopping the thin man mid-rant. "We have an idea that we believe would help both us and you."

"Oh?" The man asked, his thick eyebrows practically flying up his forehead in his earnest surprise.

"If we could get passage with you and your group, it would ease the rather long journey we would have to take. But we will guard you against the bandits in the area and help out with the grunt work." Auron offered. As he talked the man made several humming noises as he nodded to himself and furrowed his brow looking between them and the cart that was now saddled with both chocobos and bustling with life as the group began straightening out any damage.

For a long moment he looked like he was going to refuse and Jecht already had scathing words ready on his tongue when the man gave a firm nod and smiled.

"…we should be able to squeeze you on." He agreed. "It'll be tight but it should do."

The trio visibly relaxed where they stood. The idea of getting up off their feet was a pleasant one indeed. Jecht began making a bee line for the cart and grinned as he turned back to the thin man.

"You, sir, get a personal invite when we defeat Sin!"

* * *

><p>"Can you get him down from there? I've given up yelling at him."<p>

Auron turned away from the conversation he was having with one of the performers to see a rather furious looking brunette in front of him. At first glance he was scared that her anger was at him but as he digested her words his brow furrowed in confusion.

"What? Who?" After a pause he blinked and the answer came to him and he sighed wearily. "…Jecht."

"He won't listen to me!" She exploded and cast an evil eye towards the front of the cart where Auron assumed he was causing the poor woman all sorts of grief.

"What did he do?" Auron asked, already standing and making his way towards the front. Instead of answering she practically dragged him towards the front where the tent opened and revealed the offending sight.

Jecht had apparently thrown himself off the cart and onto one of the chocobos carrying the cart. By the way the woman was fussing Auron had assumed that Jecht was causing all sorts of commotion and obscene notions of some sort but he actually looked… at ease. He was simply sitting on the chocobo and staring at the scenery as they continued on their way.

"…and?" Auron asked the woman after a second as he realized that nothing was going to burst into flames or fly over a cliff. She seemed to bristle at the word, her face colouring as her glare turned to him.

"He can't do that!" She blared. "He's disrupting the birds!" She turned her gaze briefly to Jecht. "You're disrupting the birds!"

If he heard her Jecht didn't let it show.

As if to simply defy her one of the chocobos let out a satisfied squawk to which Jecht leaned over and gave the big yellow bird a pat. After a pause Auron spoke up.

"…Jecht?"

"Hmm?" Oh so he could hear.

"Is that comfortable?"

The blitzer blinked and looked down as if considering it for the first time. Although he never turned around Auron could hear the grin on his face when he looked back up. "Feels great."

With a simple jump Auron found himself on the other bird, the two guardians sharing a smirk as the woman he left behind proceeded to yell obscene things after him.


End file.
